Animal Crossing, via boat
by Bryony Honeysuckle
Summary: Two personalities collide by accident when they end up on a boat leading to an unknown place.
1. Chapter 1 Alex

It was the dead of night. The clear sky glinted softly with bright stars. The moon was a beacon in the far distance. The stars have always reminded me of how we compare to the rest of the world. Small, but bright. It's my motto, it keeps me grounded, and it makes me who I am. I watched sneakily as the bright orange fox slipped out of his green tent towards the museum. Now was my chance. Now was the only chance I could get. I slipped out of the shadows with a smirk on my face- the ultimate prank- stealing Crazy Redd's tent.

It was Peewee's idea. He's my best friend in Brynland, my hometown and where I currently live. We have this ongoing dare game, involving pranking other people. Tom Nooks the best one, the face he pulls when he finds someone has done a prank on him is hilarious! Peewee and I saw him one time, we were on a very narrow ledge looking through the sparkling clean glass of the window, and then he noticed someone had changed his normal blue apron to a pink one! This was me.

Giggling at the memory, I pulled down the tent, gathering up all the poles and pegs into a small bag, I folded up the emerald green cloth and hurriedly tried to stuff it on top. Then my hand slipped, and I dropped the bag full of poles on the floor.

It made a huge clatter, and I froze in horror. This was supposed to be a bit of light-hearted fun, not a scare! I looked around to hear any signs of movement and a heard a grunt from inside the museum. It must be Crazy Redd. Shivering, I gathered up the remains of the tent, shoved them back in the bag not caring where they landed. This made even more noise, I realised as I tried to get it done as fast as I could.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY TENT" Bellowed Crazy Redd, his black eyes burning red like a fire as they bore down on me, his small hands clenched into barely recognisable fists. "THAT'S JUST CRAZZZZZZYYY!"

I had no choice but to break into a run, I sprinted across the grassy town, Crazy Redd in hot pursuit. I hid behind Peewee's house and watched the orange fox scamper past with a look of fury on his face. Watching as he headed down by the beach, I slipped into Peewees house.

"You're back quick Lil dude!" He exclaimed in his gruff deep voice. I looked up, and as he saw the panicked expression on my face he looked alarmed. "You don't mean… you got caught?"

"Kinda." I shrugged, "He saw me, and he's after me."

"Just give it back then!" He said, as if he was just stating the obvious. "No harm done, Lil dude!" He looked at me, half triumphant, half confused. I showed no signs of being happy about the solution.

"Do you realise how much trouble I'll be in! I've got to run!" I replied, my voice high with panic. This was unnatural for me, I mean, I'm the ultimate prankster and I'm letting a tent bring me down! That's so not happening. "I mean, I can't stay here." I said, trying to sound more relaxed. I could feel my purple hair prickling at the back of my neck with fear.

"Don't leave without this then." Peewee said, sounding… a little guilty if I'm honest with you. His gray face looked faded and sad as he gave me a small bag.

"What's in there?" I asked, surprised that Peewee of all people would be giving me a gift.

"Open it when you need it, when you need it most." He said gruffly. Then he quickly swung his arms around my neck. "I'm going to miss you." He whispered shortly in my ear. I smiled and put the bag into my own backpack. Taking in a deep breath, I headed back out to hide. "Don't forget the stars!" he reminded me, and I grinned evilly. I was going to have to be really bright to get out of the mess I was in.


	2. Chapter 2 Caitlin

"MOM!" I yelled from the bottom of the stairs. My mum, a middle-aged woman with curly brown hair and dark, caring eyes, appeared at the top of the stairs.  
>"What is it, honey?" she asked in her sweet honey-like voice. "What happened?"<br>"Peanut said she didn't like my designs!" I whined. Yes, I may be a tattle-tale, but she really hurt my feelings!

"Well not everyone will like what you make, honey." She pointed out. "And, besides, nearly everyone loves your shirt designs!" I nodded sadly.

"I know mommy, but..." I started, but my older sister cut me off from upstairs.  
>"MUM!" She yelled, "I'M STILL STUCK HERE!"<p>

"JUST A MINUTE, ALLIE!" Mum yelled back at her. "I'm going to have to go now, your sister's hair is caught in the blender again and she can't get up. Go outside and see if Sally wants to play, honey."

"Okay mommy." I nodded and stepped out of the house. I felt kind of angry with my sister- nowadays she took all my attention away from me! Sure, I take all her attention from her, but I can't help it... I'm naturally unstable! At least, that's what Mint says... Was she making fun of me? I sighed and decided to do what Mum had told me to. First I checked her house, but she was out. Why must everybody be out in Mhamai? Why can't they stay indoors where I can find them easily? I decided to wander around the town, looking for her, or anyone else who I knew.

I walked through Mhamai, bored, swinging my net anywhere I could see. Everybody likes Allie, but not me. Why doesn't anyone like me? It can't be because I tell my Mum everything, and because I may be a sort of mommy's boy... Can it? I walked towards the sea, when I saw a sight that I shouldn't see, not normally in Mhamai... A big, metal ship, crowded with animals, with a turtley thing at the helm. A gangplank led up to it. I took a step forward, then a step back. I was filled with curiosity to this suddenly appearing ship. I wanted to get on it- I was fed up with everyone calling me a Mommy's boy. I took a step forward, then I took a step back. I kind of am a Mommy's boy, and Mum, she's a Caitlin's Mommy- she'd freak out if I just disappeared without a trace. I could go and warn her, but then again the ship looked like it was ready to sail- what if it left while I was getting ready? I took a step forward, then I took a step back. What to do... What to do...


	3. Chapter 3 Alex

I ran. My bare feet were being battered and bruised by every rock, fossil and pitfall seed. I headed towards the beach; note in hand, ready to send out a note to my mom for escape. She would understand, she got into the same sort of things as me. I suddenly heard a squeal behind me and I whirled around in fright. It was Pecan, running up to me. I was looking forward to a good chase scene and then I would get some transport at the last minute and Crazy Redd would be angrily shaking his head at me. Hahaha.

"Oh My God! Chipmunk! Have you seen the latest fashions in Ms. Nintendique? I so need some 'Lovely Furniture'. *Hint Hint*" squealed Pecan as fast as she could, an excited look across her pretty face.

"I don't have time," I sighed, and then felt slightly guilty as her face drooped, then frowned. "If you really want to know, I'm on the run." At those words, I heard a rustle, and I saw a glint of orange move between the trees.

"Oooh!" she squealed again, her eyes alight with glee. "An obsessive lover! I've always wanted one of them, Chipmunk!" She followed my gaze and also saw the orange thing amongst the trees. "Is that him? COO-EEEE! SHE'S OVER HERE!" She yelled, waving her arms and jumping up and down. While she was facing the other way, and just as the glint of orange emerged as Crazy Redd, I fled.

"That's going to be some gossip!" giggled Pecan after me, as she wrote a letter to Queenie. I didn't look back, and I was glad I was leaving people like her behind. I focused forwards, and I skidded to a halt.

A big, metal ship, crowded with animals, with a turtley thing at the helm. A gangplank led up to it. At the bottom of the gangplank, a young boy, with chestnut brown hair was stepping forwards and backwards. "Hey," I said, poking the boy in the back. He jumped and screamed with fright, and tottered backwards.

"Wh-who are you?" He stammered. He was visibly shaking, his face was pale and you could see the innocence in his soft hazel eyes. He seemed to notice he was shaking because he stopped abruptly, looking stiff and nervous.

"I'm Alex!" I said brightly, determined to sound cheerful even though I was being chased by a crazy fox. "What's your name?"

"Caitlin." He replied, his mouth still quivering, fighting with himself to stay strong like me. "Do you know what this is?"

"It's a ship, you getting on or what?" I replied, stating the obvious. I nudged him gently, edging him towards my ticket out of here.

"Ummm, I'm not sure" He stammered, trying to edge the other way.

I sighed. "I've got to get on," I said firmly. "Nice meeting you." I smiled at him cheerily, and then started to head up the gangplank. Then I heard a loud noise. I was lurched forwards and a creaking sound was deafening my ears.


	4. Chapter 4 Portia

One second all was quiet. I was sitting down on my cream white sofa writing in my diary. Then, a girly scream echoes all around my house. My head snapped up. Tossing my diary behind my spotty shoulder, I rushed out of my house as quickly as my little legs could take me. Closing my door behind me, I looked around for the source of the scream. What if it was an animal, in trouble? Worse yet, what if it was Jitters in trouble? No... I told myself mentally; Jitter's would never scream like that, he's too manly. That scream sounds more like... Caitlin. The Momma's boy. I looked around for him, but I couldn't see him. Then I saw it. The ginourmous metal ship down by the sea. A boy with curly brown hair who looked suspiciously like Caitlin was being dragged up a closing gangplank by a girl with cropped brown hair. A look of shock was on his face. The girl dragged him onto the ship. For a second I thought of running towards it, but I knew it was too late. The ship was already pulling out to sea. There was only one thing to do. Go and tell Momma's boy's Momma. I ran to the house, and banged on the door.

"Leanne!" I yelled to her, "Leanne, ruffian! Open up!" I heard the bounding of feet inside, and soon Leanne, with her messy mud brown hair and dumpy clothes, and bumbling feet opened the door.

"Portia?" She asked in a shocked voice, "What is it? I'm busy at the moment with my daughters hair..." She trailed of. Well, if you're fixing it the way you fix your hair, I don't think the girls gonna get any gentlemen callers soon, ruffian, I thought.  
>"It's Caitlin, ruffian!" I tattled, "He's been kidnapped by a girl with purple hair!" Leanne gave a small scream, and rushed out.<p>

"Take me to where he is!" She gasped, "Portia, Where IS HE?" Suddenly, a thin, red fox ran up, a crazed look in his slit black eyes.

"Have either of you seen a girl, about this high, short purple hair, green eyes?" He asked in a foreign accent.

"Yes, yes, ruffian!" I nodded. "She just kidnapped Leanne's son! They're both on a boat heading out to sea!"  
>"Heading out to sea?" The fox looked enraged. He ran to the coastline, before returning back angrily.<p>

"What happened to you?" Leanne asked, a sincere look on her ugly features.

"That girl stole my tent!" The fox growled.

"Then we have a criminal on our hands, ruffian!" I gasped, looking at the other two in mock worry. Do I care for Caitlin? No. But do I like a good bit of gossip? The answer to that is yes.


	5. Chapter 5 Alex

**Ok, back to me now, with Alex. Just in case you didn't know, I'm Alex, Meg is Caitlin.**

I whipped around with a start, and whipped right back again after hearing a girly high pitched scream behind me. Caitlin had screamed and was now paralysed with fear. His knobbly knees were shaking and his smooth skin was milk-bottle white.

"What?" I demanded, a frown etching my forehead. He merely pointed behind me.

I whipped around yet again, only to see that the gangplank was closing, and we were still on it! Thinking fast, I grabbed Caitlin and half pulled, half dragged him onto the boat. He tried to resist, then froze in terror. I looked to see that the gang plank had closed completely, and we fell.

A few seconds and a loud crash later, Caitlin and I were sprawled on the ground. He was clutching my bony scabbed arm for dear life, so showing no sign of fear, I got up, dusted myself down and pulled him up too. We looked around, his eyes flashing with fear, mine with curiosity. Lots of animals were on here working, all in the same uniform.

A dog wearing the strange uniform with a matching cap spotted us. He stared us up and down, taking in my bright purple hair, Caitlins open mouth, me looking a mess, Caitlin looking generally tidy, well, in my scale of tidiness anyway. He strode over to us, moving briskly, arms swinging almost knocking several workers over. I giggled and Caitlins mouth quirked into a half smile before looking open mouthed again at the stern-looking dog.

He wasn't stern for long. His mouth broke out into a smile and I felt Caitlin relax next to me, the grip still on my arm loosening.

"What are you doing over here? Are you workers? My name is Horace, and I'm in charge over here, hence the cap, it's a nice looking cap isn't it I only got it last week."

"I thought I could talk for England." I muttered before saying "I just dropped in, literally."

"What? You fell from the sky? I've always wanted to fly but I've never been near a plane, that's why I wanted to join nooks army to take over the animal crossing kingdom so maybe I'd get a chance to use one." he stopped for a breath, his mouth still smiling, you could see his perfect teeth glinting in the weak sunlight.

Never mind his teeth. A thousand thoughts were running through my head. Nook? Taking over? This can't be good, he really needs to be taken down a few pegs, and he's bringing himself UP.

Then I remembered. CRAZY REDD. His enemy. Who's tent I am still in possession of. I can't win here. Literally. I can't win HERE. On a boat. In the middle of no-freakin'-where!

"I need to get back home." I declared, a little nervously.


	6. Chapter 6 Caitlin

**OMG I totally didn't realise you could like, post with whatever ramblings you wanted!:L Bit late now I guess, but anyway, this is Meg with Caitlin. I feel so hyper now after having two mugs of coffee the size of my head! WEEEEEEEEEEE!**

I stared at Alex in disbelief. She had to get home? She had to get home? I needed to get home more then her! My mom'll probably be worried sick about me, Portia'll be rounding up plenty of gossip that I've finnaly gotten a girlfriend whose as crazy as I am, and, God... Who knows what Mint'll say!

"You need to get home?" I asked, eyes raising, "I need to get home more than you do! You don't even live in Mhamai!" She turned to me.

"Hang on, you live in Miami?" She gasped. "That was Miami? It was lot colder than I imagined..."

"Not Miami, you idiot! Mhamai!" I corrected.

"Oh..." She paused. "That explains the stupid weather then."

"The weather isn't stupid!" I snapped, "I like it!"

"As I said before, that explains the weather then."

"HEY!" The dog, Horace infront of us cleared his throat and we both turned, cutting off our near-argument.

"Oh... yeah..." I stuttered, remembering where I was. On a boat. On a floating boat. In the middle of nowhere. Away from my house- away from Mom... The only person who understands me, or even vaguely likes me... who looked after me... Man, why did I leave? And where did I leave to? "Where are we?"

"Where are we?" The dog spluttered, cracking up. "Where are we? Don't get out much, do you?"

"Y... Yeah I do!" I protested, though I knew that wasn't true. I didn't partake in gossip, the only reason I knew what was happening is because my sister sneaks out every night to do something or other with Biskit, Bones, Goldy, Marcel and Walker... Which I should probably tell Mom about...

"Oh yeah? What was the last movie you watched?" Alex shot at me.

"Uh..." Think of something new... The newest thing you've watched... "Uh..." Something cool... "Titanic?" Horace and Alex looked at me for a second, then burst out laughing. "What?"

"Titanic came out ages ago!" Alex laughed. At seeing my affronted look, she backtracked. "I mean... It's a classic, very good and all, but it came out ages ago!"

"Oh. But where are we?" I changed the topic back to what we were discussing previously. It wasn't my fault I don't watch movies that much!

"Well you're on the great S.S. Crossing! The most famous boat in the world of Animal Crossing! This here is her maiden voyage, all around the different towns.

"When do we stop at Mahmai?" I asked, hoping we could get back soon.

"When do we stop at Brynland?" Alex cut me off. "I need to get home."

"Well, seeing as we just left Mhamai, we'll be stopping there last," Horace relayed, "And we'll be stopping over in Brynland around halfway."

"Halfway... When will that be?" Alex asked, and I scowled. I had to get home! Who knew what mom'll do without me? ...What will I do without her?

"Who knows? A couple of months, maybe?"

"WHAT?" Me and Alex gasped together. I have no idea what she's thinking, but there's no way I can cope that long without my Mommy! I WANT MY MOMMY!

**Btw, feel free to check out my blog, .com:)**


	7. Chapter 7 Alex

I was actually thinking hard for once. A couple of months? Who knows what would be happening then? Nook will have everyone at his feet, and... And... Peewee will need to have anger management again... and then we're all screwed.

I looked down to see Caitlin on the floor rocking back and forth sucking his thumb. I had a sudden urge to slap him, but then I realised something... Crazy Redd doesn't know Caitlin does he? If he gave him the tent, he could say that he just saw it on the ground or something...

Feeling a little better now I had some vague plan, I crouched down where Caitlin was still rocking violently.

"Don't worry," I said softly. "It'll all be fine. Soon you'll be home back to your Mom and you can forget all that's happened." Caitlin looked at me, a little surprised, but a bit better. My soft side rarely comes out; the only person who's really seen it is Peewee. I shoved all these mushy thoughts to the back of my head and hauled Caitlin up.

"You ready for work now?" asked Horace briskly.

"Woah-woah-woah. We're here on accident, not to work." My eyes flared with horror and just plain annoyance. Caitlin looked up at me terrified again. Horace was standing his ground.

"If you are on here at all it is to work" he merely commented. Looking me up and down with sudden disgust. He liked being captain and ordering people around so he was making the most of it. He shoved a small pile of clothing on us and stalked off. I looked at him as he strolled away humming, with a frown on my face. It turned out the pile of clothes was a uniform, identical to the ones the animals were wearing. Assuming we had no choice, I pulled on the stinking shirt and waited for Caitlin.

"Hey, you there, wahh?" a small pink panda was running up to me, her short little legs scurrying across the wooden floor. She was also wearing the uniform, and she had tried to customise it, adding little badges and I think she had made it shorter? I don't know, I don't know anything about fashion.

"Who are you?" I asked, looking at her with curiosity. Caitlin was staring at her with wide eyes. Sure, she was pretty, but I didn't understand why NOW was the moment he had to be starstruck.

"I'm Pinky, waaah!" she said, her hazel eyes glinting in the sunlight. She was just about to open her mouth when Horace bellowed across the room.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" his forehead was pulsing unnaturally. Veins throbbing, he grabbed Pinky by the hair to a nearby wall. He then proceeded to bang her head against the wall, rather stiffly, almost as if he was being controlled by someone...


	8. Chapter 8 Portia

**Ok, this is another Portia one. Sorry I haven't been on here in a while, I have two GCSE's next week! It's enough to drive anyone insane!**

I watched as Leanne paced back and forth.

"My son... My son..." She muttered, then looked up at me. "Why did it have to be my son? He can barely look after himself, poor dear..." I rolled my eyes. Whose fault the Momma's Boy couldn't take care of himself anyway? He's never had to stand on his two feet before now...

"Your son? Your son? My TENT is in more danger than your son!" The weird orange fox wailed.

"Mum? What's going on down here?" Allie, the momma's boy's sister ran downstairs. "I heard wailing. What's going on?"

"Oh, Allie, the most dreadful thing's happened!" Leanne broke down crying, "Caitlin's gone!"

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Allie frowned. You know, despite what I might have said before, I kind of like Allie. She's a good girl to have at a party...

"Kidnapped!" Wailed Leanne, and I rolled my eyes again. The woman was just as pathetic as her pup.

"Oh my-" Allie started, but backtracked the swearword I could guess she was going to use, because her mother was in the room, then looked over at the fox guy. "Who are you?"

"I'm Crazy Redd, and this kidnapped didn't just steal a measly boy, you know- she stole my tent!" The fox- Crazy Redd, snapped, now clutching a picture to his chest I assumed was of his tent.

"Huh- Crazy Redd. I've heard of you. You sold Blathers counterfeit paintings." Allie accused, and I raised my eyebrows. A man in the black market? You couldn't get much better gossip than this.

"Uh... All in a days work, and all that..." Crazy Redd frowned, his gaze shifting shiftily.

"How do we know- I mean... Where did the kidnapped take Cait to?" Allie frowned, and I noticed how concerned she was, which was quite different to her normal attire at parties, when she let it all loose, how she hated her brother for getting all the attention, for pushing her into the darkness...

"On a boat- a cruise ship, from what I saw." I put in. What? I have to have a part in this thing- especially if it gets back to Jitters how concerned and nice I'm being!

"A cruise ship? Jitters told me all about thise cruise ship!" Allie grinned, "It's the-"

"Allie!" Her mother admonished, "I told you not to speak to that Jitters anymore! He is a bad influence!"

"It's not like you would know," Muttered Allie, "All you care about it precious Caitlin." There it was; I knew it would turn up at some point.

"You said you knew this boat?" Crazy Redd wondered, "What exactly do you know?"

"It's the most famous boat in the Animal Crossing Kingdom, on it's maiden vouyage around every single town. For those who can afford it, the first class suites are brilliant! They have a library the size of the Town Hall, enough food to keep even Biskit going, and, oh, don't even get me started on their pool-"

"Stop babbling Allie. Tell me where they're stopping next so I can go fetch my son." Leanne cut her off, still worried. I couldn't help but inwardly feel sorry for Allie. Did Leanne ever say 'My daughter' the same way she said 'my son'? No, she never said 'my daughter' at all. It was always about Caitlin, the momma's boy. Allie glared at her mother.

"If I remember correctly, it's next stop will be around Wednesday, in Cataria." Allie mused, a glare still in her normally friendly eyes.

"Okay. You can go now, Allie." Leanne shooed her away, and I realised how neglected that girl must feel. Oooh! More gossip! I now have enough gossip to write a daily gossip column in the local newspaper! Nah, I'm just kidding... The only place I write is in my journal! The girl turned and stomped up the stairs.

"Right, we'll leave at dawn." I nodded and turned to go write new gossip to my journal, then I thought I heard something from upstairs. Now, one thing you should know, I have really keen ears, to hear out new rumours and gossip, but I figured they were just tired out. I walked outside, then heard a window open. I shrunk to the shadows of the house, and watched as Allie jumped down from the window onto the floor from the second floor! I knew she had to sneak out some way, but this- wow! She didn't even fault. There must be a party going on, I thought, before realising something- she wasn't wearing party clothes. In fact, she was wearing something I could hardly see because she was wearing a black cloak! And she was carrying a backpack full to the brim with stuff! I tried not to gasp as she looked around, before running off towards Able Sisters. I grinned to myself- good gossip coming my way... I followed her silently, but was shocked when she didn't stop at the tailors. In fact, she kept on going, looking around every few minutes. It was dark now, I didn't know where she'd go, because everywhere should be locked up. Then I realised one place where she was going; the only place open this time of night- the train station! She was running away! Now, I know anybody else would have immediately rushed off to tell Leanne, but I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. She DID go to the train station, and there was someone else there! I gasped to myself- what if she was doing drugs? What if it was cash in there? What if she was stealing for money? This person was wearing a cloak as well, they obviously didn't want anybody to know who they were. Allie hugged the person, and a thought came to me... Who was her father? What if she was meeting her father, and was now planning to live with him? What if he was on parol? They whispered a few things, and I thanked for once my mongrel father who gave me this freak hearing.

"I'm so sorry I was late; somebody knotted my hair." Allie apologised.

"Don't worry," The person replied. I couldn't tell who he was, but I knew it was a dude. He was disguising his voice somehow. "We missed the boat- we'll just have to get the train." Wha- she WAS running away! With some guy! Oooh, gossip OVERLOAD!

"Where to? Caitlin's on that boat- Mum's gonna be all over each stop they make. We'll never get away." Allie told him. 'We'll never get away.' Oh, I am SO going to quote that!

"Caitlin's on the boat? Why?" The voice was laced with concern.

"He's been kidnapped." Allie sighed. "I know it kind of sounds sad, but I'm kind of glad he's gone- but I'm also worried about him, and... Urgh, I'm so confused." Allie groaned.

"Okay, new plan: First we find your brother- I have a friend on the boat, the same one who got us tickets, and she's going to get the boat to stop somewhere along the way, in some place called Backway. The train'll come in a minute- do you have everything?"

"Of course. Are you sure, J? We don't have to. We can go straight to-"

"Of course I'm sure. I love you, so I want your family to be safe. Even if it's kids who still hide behind their momma's legs." The cloaked dude blocked my view of what happened next- and I probably don't even wanna see I think they were snogging- eeew! They walked to the station, and sat on a bench waiting, holding hands I think. As I walked back to my house, I thought to myself. So... Allie wasn't running away- she was eloping with a mystery guy! If this didn't get everyone going hmmm and ahhh, then I wasn't a Dalmatian! Well, actually, I'm a mutant Labrador, but still, I look like a Dalmatian! And as for my previous gossip, the poor, kidnapped Caitlin? Who cared about him anyway? As I curled up in my bed, though, a thought came to my head- What was happening with momma's boy anyway?...


	9. Chapter 9 Alex

**Here's the next instalment. First of all I only had about 300 words but then something clicked and then I was on a roll, if you get my drift? But yeah, get reading and ignore my waffle. Much love.**

I have never seen anything more graphic in my life. He continued whacking her head against the wall, ignoring her stifled cries, I was resisting the urge to just go and punch him in the face, but as soon as I clenched my fist Caitlin grabbed my hand, nudging me and giving me panicked looks.

I was just about to surrender when all of a sudden there was a sickening crack, and Pinky was no longer with us. But the surprising thing was, the workers just ignored the who scenario and carried on... well... working! I saw a door nearby and snuck towards it, dragging Caitlin by my still clenched hand, once safely inside, he burst out crying.

"Shhh!" I hissed, but I put my arm around him all the same. He tried to stifle his sobs but he was still shaking. Anyone would think he's never left his house without his mother! Oh wait, he hadn't.

"What are we going to do?" Caitlin cried, before I hissed again to get him to be quiet.

"We've got to find out who's controlling Horace." I said simply.

"But how?" Caitlin wailed again. Seriously, I think he only has one level of noise, since he only talks if he's wailing about something.

"By shutting up and doing as I say!" I sighed. My shoulder was now wet with his tears, and he lifted his head up.

"It's all going to be ok, I promise" I whispered, then pressed my ear to the door.

It was silent. I couldn't hear a thing. I tried to look through a crack in the keyhole, but it was pitch black. All I could see was, well... black! Talk about stating the obvious! I had to risk it.

"Caitlin, if I knock on this door three times then it's safe to come out, ok?" I whispered, but before he could even nod, I opened the door a fraction. I couldn't see anything, the room was pitch black. I slipped outside the door to stare at... nothing. It was times like that when I wished I had x-ray vision or something that would help me, then I realised something.

Fumbling around in the dark, I persevered until I found the small bag Peewee gave to me what seemed like years ago. I quickly plunged my hand into it, and out came... I don't know, I couldn't see. What were you expecting?

It felt strangely like glasses, so I gingerly tried to shove them on my face. All of a sudden my eyes blurred, and the room was clear. There were people at a rickety table in the middle of the room, and as I froze in horror I noticed they hadn't seen me. Just to check, I waved at a dopey looking guy that looked vaguely like a familiar Racoon, but alot smaller, and he had an identical twin. I swung my hands high above my head and flapped them vigorously. If Peewee saw me now in crazy sunglasses flapping my arms like a bird he would be laughing his head off. But he wasn't there. He was probably at home back in Brynland, watching reality TV and making fun of them... without me. I moved closer, but still none of them noticed me. I edged closer and closer and soon enough I was at the table with them. A burning candle stood in the centre that I hadn't seen before, gently flickering and revealing several dimly lit officials wearing a similar uniform to the workers, and the two raccoons, which were stood on top of a small pile of books so they could see everyone.

On the table, along with the candle, were a small needle and a potion. Also on there was a large pile of official looking documents. Then one of the Racoons picked up the needle. One by one, he inserted it into each weary looking official. All of a sudden they stood bolt upright and alert, as if they were ready to do whatever the two racoons said.

"Now listen" said the second racoon rather harshly to them all. "You need to find the girl, and give me the tent. I need it to get Crazy Redd on my side, there is something about that tent that he won't live without."

They all nodded in unison, rather robotically, their eyes glazed over. "Now to get to the girl, I have already sorted that out. Nook has already taken over Brynland, and I took some people to use as workers, and I picked up the key ingredient to getting that purple haired ruffian!" He shoved a photo to the centre of the table, and there in the picture, chained and scarred but looking wearily defiant, was my best friend Peewee.


	10. Chapter 10 Caitlin

**Hey kids, I hadn't updated in a while because I thought meg was going to send me her chapter on facebook, and not on here! So I waited for ages to find it was actually on here instead *facepalm* Oooh, and thanks to Invader Cakez and Ant423 for the reviews! Much love to you both3 Anyway, enough of my waffle, on with Caitlins chapter...**

I stood in the small room, waiting for Alex to knock to say it was okay to come out. She should have returned by now, right? I mean, how long does it take to see if somewhere's safe? I wasn't sure, but I thought it was relitivley easy... So where was Alex? I reached towards the handle of the door to go and find her. Then I stopped. If she wasn't back yet, it could mean it wasn't safe. Then what would I do? I'd probably get my head bashed in like Pinky's... I let out a sob as I remembered that horrific incedent. What had gotten into Horace, to do that? I shivered. I better stay in here, where it was safe, if a little small. But what about Alex? If it wasn't out there, she could be in danger! She could be- I don't know, tied to a rock being forced to eat lima beans or something even worse! I had to help her! I reached for the handle again. But Alex said not to go out until it was safe. What if she got angry with me for disobeying orders? I retracted my hand. Should I? No, it's not safe... But Alex... Alex could take care of herself, better than I could! But what if she did need help? Well she wouldn't need MY help, obviously, but still!

"Oh make a decision already!" A voice said, filled with sarcasm. I turned and saw- me! But a more fashionable, more... cool, me...

"W... Who are you?" I asked, frowning.

"I'm a part of your crazy mind, idiot." The person said, "Also known as Mike. And I'm hear to tell you to stop being an indecisive cry-baby and either stay in here like a wimp, or go out there."

"Hey, did you just call me crazy? I am so telling my mum on you." I replied.

"Oh, yes, because telling your mum that your brain called you crazy is defiantly not crazy," He rolled his eyes. "Now make a decision, so I can go back to the Dream Board to help make character-defining dreams for when you sleep." I looked back towards the door, then back at him. The door, him. The door, him. The door, him. "OH FOR DOG'S SAKE MAKE UP YOUR MIND!" I turned, opened the door, and strolled out. Then I turned back to him- and he was gone. Then I heard muffled crying. I turned back to the room. It was pitch black.

"Alex?" I called out to her, and she turned. For some reason, I could see her, but the rest of the things were black.

"I thought I told you only to come out when it was safe!" She snapped. Her eyes were red.  
>"Are you crying?" I asked her.<p>

"No!" She argued. "I don't cry. I never cry. Why did you come out of there when I told you not to!"

"I got curious." I shrugged, and felt the wall beside me. I felt a bump in the wall, it felt like a switch. I flicked it, and it turned on, illuminating the room with light. I wasn't sure where we were, I just knew who we were with... K.K. Slider was sleeping, curled up on a freshly made bed.


	11. Chapter 11 Alex

**Only a short chapter today, sssssssooooooo ttttttttiiiiirrrrrrreeeeeedd. In a nutshell. But hey, here's the next Alex chapter.**

Before anyone could do anything, I clapped my hand over Caitlin's mouth before he screamed and curled my other hand into a fist. I couldn't trust anyone anymore. But there was no need.

K.K slider slowly and wearily opened his eyes and saw us staring at him in shock, Caitlin wrestling against my hand so he could yell in horror, but all you could hear from him were muffled squeaks. His white face was paler than usual, and he looked thin and tired. His huge midnight black sunglasses hid all emotion in his eyes, but despite this he still looked effortlessly cool. His battered guitar was poking out from underneath his bed.

I looked back and saw that the door was still open to the pitch black room with the retard raccoons that were holding my best friend hostage. I walked over and resisted all urge and contained my anger and shut the door with a soft click. Then I raced back over to Caitlin and Slider.

"Hey guys, how's life ruffians?" he asked, rather laid back, propping his arms up on his bed. Then he saw our distressed faces and his mouth twitched, and his mouth changed from an enthusiastic curve to a mere straight line. "I've been asleep a long time haven't I?" he murmured, loud enough for just us to hear.

"He trapped me. He stole my guitar. I went after him and I got caught. He gave me something to drink, he apologised, and he made me feel welcome on his luxury cruise ship. But then, I fell asleep for a hell of a long time. My life in a nutshell."

My mind was buzzing. K.K Slider was never one to follow orders, or stick to the stereotype or whatever. I mean, he gives out free CD's every Saturday! I though back to when I was home and not in so much trouble and me and Peewee would go down to the roost every Saturday and listen to his latest tunes with a cup of coffee, and then we'd go and stargaze with Celeste... tears formed but I sucked them back in before anyone noticed, god I've been so mushy lately! Totally degrading.

Without further ado I rushed out of the room. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to save my best friend.


	12. Chapter 12 Caitlin

**Hey guys, I'm sorry I'm so slow, but it was christmas, so I was busy being... christmassy? but hey, here's another one of megs:-)**

One second everything was okay. We were listening to K.K. Slider's story of how he got on the ship, then I noticed there wasn't something quite right about Alex. As long as I'd known her (which had been, what, around 5 hours?), she had been straightforward, and bold, and happy and confident. And brave. Extremely brave. I hadn't seen her shed a tear, and as far as I knew, she probably hadn't cried ever. The total opposite of crybaby me. But, all of a sudden, her eye seemed moist, as if she was on the brim of crying. Then, the emotion seemed to disappear; she didn't want anybody to know she had feelings. Well, don't worry Alex, I told her mentally, I won't tell anyone you're human.  
>"My life in a nutshell." K.K. Slider finished, frowning. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could Alex turned and she ran out of the room.<br>"ALEX!" I yelled out to her, but she had seemingly disappeared. "Where'd she go?"  
>"Who knows, man?" K.K. Slider shrugged, reaching for thin air. I realised he must have been going to get his guitar, but, it wasn't there. It felt wrong to see him without his guitar, almost like he was naked. He sighed, and started to hum instead. I was going to get back K.K. Slider's guitar, if it was the last thing I did- knowing full well it might be, this Tom Nook sounded kinda scary. Very scary. I gulped. Was it too late to back out?<br>Yes.  
>I excused myself, then turned, and ran out after Alex. It had been a lot longer than I'd thought, the once azure sky was now a deep navy, and stars were twinkling above me. There was no land in sight, just the lapping waves- wait, over there… A dot of land, probably the next stop… And on the waves, a boat. The boat had a lantern at the front, and from its light I could just about see Alex's determined face.<br>"Alex!" I called out to her. "Alex wait up I want to come with you!"  
>"Nobody leaves this ship." I turned and screamed at the sight of a mother cat and her kitten. "He won't let you." Other animals, passengers on the ship, surrounded them and me.<br>"Nobody leaves the ship. Nobody leaves the ship." They chanted, and I screamed. Then, a dark mass pulled me out of the crowd of zombie-like creatures. I screamed again.  
>"Yar, ye really need to stop screamin' like a wee girlie, me wee sea urchin." It was Ka'ppn. I breathed a sigh of relief.<br>"Ka'ppn!" I cheered.  
>"Do ye need a ride?" He gave me an impish grin, stepping aside to reveal his boat.<p>

As Ka'ppn prepared his boat secretly for take-off, or whatever he called it, I looked around at the passengers of the cruise ship. I could see, of those I recognised, Katie and her Mum, Wendall the artist, Saharah, Rover, Don and Sonny Ressetti, Lyle, Dr. Shrunk, Katrina, Blanca and even Tortimer, who was sleeping on a deck chair.  
>"Why are they all here, doe eyed?" I mused aloud, not expecting to get an answer.<br>"Hey, little dude." I turned to find a red otter; Pascal. "Need sea legs?"  
>"No thank you." I replied, "What are they doing here, Pascal?"<br>"Precious items are precious for a reason." He replied. I frowned.  
>"Huh?"<br>"Whether it's a music box, or a turban, or even a guitar." He was talking about things that these animals treasured! I waited for some more wisdom. "Hey, hook a dude up with a scallop would you?" I frowned, did I even have a scallop with me? I dug deep into my pockets, and found a small scallop. I handed it to him, and he handed me back something else. "Here. This is for you." He turned and did a backwards dive off the boat into the sea.  
>"Thank you!" I called out.<p>

When we were on the sea, I pulled out what Pascal had given me. It was a ceramic vase, with red patterns all over it. I wolf whistled, it seemed very expensive. Why had Pascal given it to me?  
>"Yar, that be the red vase, that be," Ka'ppn nodded. I was starled, I'd almost forgotten he was there, which was stupid because he was the one rowing the boat.<br>"You know it?" I asked him.  
>"Yar, me wee scallop." Ka'ppn nodded thoughtfully. "The red vase. Only seen one before me. An' that was a long time ago... long time."<br>"Really?" I was interested. Very interested.  
>"Yar," He agreed. "'Twas the week before midsummers eve, an' me and me lass were down by the beach. On her head she wore a mighty fine turban, which she had bought from Crazy Redd's market. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, appears this camel. She 'aid her name was Saharah, and she wanted me lasses Turban. Me lass had a kind heart, and she gave Saharah the Turban. In return, Saharah gave me lass a red vase. She told me lass to give it to Crazy Redd, who would, in return, reward her. Me lass didn't believe that. She knew that Crazy Redd would probably swindle her, and it would be best just to throw it into this here ocean." Ka'ppn sighed. "An' she did. She stood up, and hurled it into the ocean, me wee sea bass." I looked down at it. That was probably were Pascal had gotten it from. He was always in the sea.<br>"Wow." I gasped.  
>"Yar, did ye wanna hear a song, me wee sea monkey?" He asked. I could tell he wanted to, so I nodded. Kapp'n began to sing a sea shanty of a girl who slept in trash cans or something. His calm, crusty old voice, combined with the steady rocking of the boat and the quiet lapping of sea waves sent me into a deep sleep.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13 Alex

**Yes, I'm slow, I don't need to be told. When you get to my age, you'll understand, but for now, get reading. The good stuff's below this waffle.**

I was on a train to get home. How I managed to get myself there I don't even know. My head was pounding, I couldn't think straight. All that was on my mind was the fact that Peewee was in danger, because of me. I thought of how I had spent my whole life with him ever since my first day at Brynland, when we played pranks, when we went fishing and then had games of fisticuffs, when we went digging, believing a fantasy that there was a huge pile of treasure buried under the town hall. Reminiscing, I glanced around, my eyes not focusing on anything in particular. Until I saw a flash of orange. Jumping slightly in shock, I focused on the orange fox that had just got on the train. He was frowning as he shuffled through the crowd trying to find an empty seat. There was an empty seat to me, so in an attempt to be an all-new friendly kind Alex I scooted across so he could sit down. Then I realised who he was.

It was Crazy Redd.

It was too late. Before I could move or disguise myself he sat down next to me.

"I believe you have something of mine?" asked Crazy Redd, glaring at me with his beetle black eyes.

"I do indeed," I replied, looking at him calmly with my chocolate brown eyes. "but I need your help." The words tumbled out of my mouth just as a plan formed in my mind.

"Give me the tent, and maybe I'll help you. You're just being CRAZZZYYYY!" said Crazy Redd, his voice increasing a little. People on the train started turning around to see him.

"As long as you pinky promise to help me." I said my voice smoother than the chocolate colour of my eyes. I looked at him innocently, holding out my baby finger.

"That's blackmail!" He bellowed, agitated. People started muttering now, glancing at him and tutting with disgusted looks on their faces. I opened my backpack slightly, showing him a glimpse of emerald green. His eyes flashed with anger, he finally muttered "Fine. What do you want?"

"I want to stop Nook from taking over." I said bluntly, not averting my eyes from his steely glare.

"Interesting that you say that," he muttered bitterly. "Especially since you stole the tent of the very person who is Tom Nooks nemesis."

"That was just a prank." I said lightly, smiling. "Ever heard of them?"

He glared at me, but he had a different look in his eyes, more of curiosity rather than anger. "And how are you going to do this?" He asked, glinting at me, doubting I had an answer.

"Hmmm... blackmail, violence, fraud and pent up aggression?" I suggested, my eyes twinkling mischievously.

Slowly but deliberately he held out his pinky finger.

**I promise I'll be quicker uploading the next instalment! Pinky promise;)**


	14. Chapter 14 Caitlin

**Meg's chapters are always way longer than mine... ahh well.**

Kapp'n was still singing when I awoke. He'd stopped rowing, but was still singing a very... uh... disturbing song about a kraken. I looked around, it was the darkest part of night now, yet the moon was full and bright, so I could see our surroundings. We were a couple of nautical miles away from a low beach, which was surrounded by mystic coves. I frowned. This didn't look like Blackwater at all, it was too... clean.  
>"Uh... Kapp'n?" I asked uncertainly, "Where are we?" He didn't answer me, instead continuing his song. I looked down at the sea below us, it was full of dark shadows. Fish! I thought happily. Fishing was fun. I took out my net, being careful not to disturb the vase in my pockets. Then I began to fish. Well, I put my bobber thingy in the water and waited, but nothing caught. These were, apparently, VERY smart fish... Then, my bobber thingy went under. I pulled and pulled with all my might, then the rod flew right out of my hands. My catch was flown into the water for a short second.<br>"Hi!" An orange squirrel with halfly yellow hair grinned. She was wearing a badge that showed a nut on a leaf on it upon her chest. I screamed as she landed feet first on the deck of K'ppn's boat. "Hey, hulaaaa, don't go screaming like a girl! A-hem," She cleared her throat, "Hi! I'm Caroline, hulaaaa, and I am proud to say that I am part of the noble Tom Nook's Army of Evil and Demented Squirrels- Brynland division."  
>The only word that came out of my word was, "Huh?"<br>"So, yeah, I'm Caroline of the AEDS- that's pronounced Iduhs, not Aids, the Brynland division, and me and my squirrel soldier friends have been sent out here on a very important mission, like, hulaaaa."  
>"W... What is it?" I asked, curious.<br>"He he!" She laughed, "To kidnap you, of course, hulaaaa! Squirrel soldiers, come here! AEDS, UNITE!" All of a sudden more squirrels jumped out of the water, all with the same badges as Caroline. They formed a circle around me, and I was trapped.  
>"Kapp'n! A little help here!" I called out to the one who had saved me earlier.<br>"I'll sing me a fair rhyme,  
>To pass away time,<br>Watch me words,  
>Like seabirds,<br>Through the sky climb  
>Upwards they climb!" Kapp'n sang obliviously, in his old, sea crusted voice.<br>"Don't worry, we won't hurt you, hulaaaa!" Caroline chuckled hysterically, then leant over to a purple squirrel, "Uh... Static? Does accidentally drowning somebody count as hurting?"  
>"Yes, Caroline, because then they'd be dead." The purple squirrel, Static said grumpily.<br>"ALEX! HEEEEEELLLLPPPP!"  
>"Urgh, he sounds like a Momma's boy to me, nutlet. Are you sure it's THIS human Nook wants?"<br>"I am NOT a Momma's Boy! ALEEEEXXX!"  
>"Look, just hit the baby over the head and be done with it, sidekick!" Another exasperated voice sighed, and I felt something hit the back of my head, and everything sort of faded to black.<p>

I was having a very weird dream about an anteater. She was hula dancing with a bunch of squirrels. Then they switched to Indian dancing to the tune of that song Allie used to listen to... K.K. something or other... Then they all turned into K.K. Slider, who was playing his guitar. Then the guitar disappeared, and there was evil laughing in the background. This scene repeated itself a few times, before my vision went red. I backed up a bit, and the red I saw was actually Pascal, who was saying 'Precious things', over and over. He began to spin around and around and around until he became a spinning clay pot, spun by a white cat. The air around us was stuffy, and the cat didn't have a face. She faded away, and the muddy pot began to have colour seeped into it, white and red, just like the vase I had! A fox's orange face seeped into view, saying 'I want it! It's so expensive I'd be a millionaire! I want it!', then he turned into a raccoon, still saying the same thing...  
>"Who is this?" A cold, snarling voice growled.<br>"Uh... The human you wanted, right?" Asked a slightly peppy voice- Caroline. I jerked awake, but couldn't convince myself to open my eyes.  
>"No, no, NO! This is a boy, I wanted a girl. More specifically, I wanted Alex! You know, purple haired Alex?" The person snarled. Alex? What did this animal want with Alex?<br>"You mean the one who turned your apron pink, uncle?" Asked a small voice. I inwardly laughed, that sounded like such an Alex thing to do.  
>"Yes."<br>"Well, this is what you get for asking the aids to do your jobs."  
>"We are not aids, hulaaaa, we are AEDS!"<br>"Whatever. The AFEPs' are the best, anyway."  
>"No they're not! Tell him, master!"<br>"Well, actually I prefer The NESOBs- you know, the Navy of Eager and Seasick Obstinate Bears."  
>"Aaaw uncle!"<br>"Anyway, we're getting off topic. What do I do with this... this... Momma's Boy, Caroline?"  
>"Um... I don't know, hulaaaa."<br>"The plan only works with Alex in it! I can't take over the Animal Crossing world without her cooperation! I even went to the trouble of kidnapping her irritable best friend over there to get her here, and you bring back a wimp! What do I do with it?"  
>"I think it's a him, Uncle."<br>"That's hardly the point, Timmy. The point is, what do I do with him?"  
>"Oooh, drug him, ahhhhh!" Called out a voice I recognised from the boat- must have been a squirrel.<br>"I know, fuzzball, feed him to the TACBs!" Yelled a gruff voice- a bear.  
>"Yeah," A growling tigers voice agreed, "We're hungry!"<br>"How about you use him for your plan, arfer?"  
>"Yeah, right, Cookie." The cold voice (that by now I assumed to be Tom Nooks') said sarcastically, "And how would I do that?"<br>"Douse him with the Mind Control Potion and get him to do stages 4,5,6 and 7 of the re-write of your plan, slightly altered, arfer!"  
>"Hm... That could work!" I heard footsteps get closer to me, and I tensed. "Wait... How do you know about the plan re-writes?"<br>"Uh... Arfer, Caroline read you're diary!"  
>"COOKIE!"<br>"Caroline, what have I told you about going through my personal things? And besides, it's a JOURNAL!" The voice went softer, "But that was a good idea, Cookie. Prehaps the AFEP group are the best... Timmy, fetch me a fully vaccinated needle!"  
>"But I'm Tommy!"<br>"Fine, Tommy, then. Just get it." My brain gave itself a shock, alerting me of something. This animal was about to drug me! They were going to use me for their evil doings! I opened my eyes, and screamed when I saw a brown raccoon staring me in the face. He smelt bad. "Oh great now the Momma's Boy is awake." The raccoon rolled his eyes.  
>"Why do people keep calling me a Momma's Boy!" I exclaimed before putting my hand over my mouth. What was I, an idiot? I was going to get killed saying aloud comments like that! A blue squirrel giggled. The raccoon glared at me.<br>"So, then, boy, my name is Tom Nook. Now this is a long shot, but do you want to be in my evil army?" Tom Nook asked me.  
>"Uh... No?"<br>"Is that a question or an answer?"  
>"Urm... An answer?"<br>"Tommy, the needle!" Tom Nook sighed, and one of a pair of tiny raccoons huffed indignantly.  
>"I'm Timmy!" He corrected angrily, handing his uncle a needle. I tried to scoot away from Tom Nook as he stalked towards me.<br>"Now, boy, this won't hurt a bit. Just a prick, it'll be like falling asleep..." He said in what I supposed he thought to be a soothing voice. I kept moving backwards, until I was in a corner. I gave a squeak. "Ready? Here comes the needle train! Woot woot!" he stuck the needle in my arm and my mind went blank. The world was a fuzzy haze, a blur, and I could hardly tell anything out. I couldn't move my arms, or my legs! Or my torso, or my waist, or... well, any part of my body! It was a miracle that I could still think, and even that was giving me a headache! Every word that was spoken was like a buzz to me, as if Tom Nook had stuffed my ears full of cotton. Then, Tom Nooks voice, confident and strangely persuasive forced itself past the buzzing. "Find Redd and Alex. Steal Redd's precious items, and bring Alex to me. Find Redd and Alex. Steal Redd's precious items and bring Alex to me. Steal Redd's precious items and bring Alex to me. Bring Alex to me..."


	15. Chapter 15 Alex Part 1

**Wow, I actually posted the next chapter in less than a week(ish) let alone a month! Lolme. But anyways, TO ALEX MY FFRINDIAU.**

_**Meg: Hola, tis the author of Caitlin- well, it's obviously going to be melty if you tipped it in hot chocolate Bryn- anyways, just wanted to say hi cuz I never get to do authors notes here! So... HI! Also, I helped write this chapter. Kind of. BYES!**_

**Note to self: Remember that certain dogs that guard nookingtons are female, so Meg doesn't go crazy. And btw, if you don't want chocolatey fingers, don't dip your chocolate covered biscuit in hot drinks. That is all.**

The rest of the journey to Brynland was silent. Wow, I am really losing my touch. Crazy Redd sat next to me, he looked angry, but I needed him, it was crucial to have him as my ally. Wow, I'm really turning into a plan nazi.

Anyway, after several hours of awkward silence, we arrived at Brynland. My hometown. But even as I walked past the familiar buildings with a sullen Crazy Redd at my side, I still felt like a part of me was missing. A Peewee shaped part of me. I felt reassured though, we were going to get him out.

I approached Nookingtons and just as I was about to break in, I felt an arm tug at mine and pull me back.

"Look." Crazy Redd hissed, and I squinted into the darkness. A pink and white dog with black anime eyes was leaning against the wall of the shop, alongside an orange squirrel with vaguely yellow hair, I couldn't be certain. They looked obscenely bored. We could hear their high squeaky voices.

"Hey, hulaaaa, I'm bored." Stated the squirrel.

"Yeah, same arf." Replied the dog.

"Wanna head down to the roost Hulaaaa?"

"K.K Slider ain't there arf, it just ain't the same anymore."

"Yeah, but this is so boring, and I need a pick me up, Brewster's pigeon blend should do just the trick, don't you think hulaaaa?"

"True, and Pecan should have all the gossip, I don't hear anything anymore arf."

"Come on let's go, it's not like Alex is going to suddenly turn up and blow up the building right hulaaaa?"

"Nothing's happened for the past few months, nothings going to happen now surely arf?"

The squirrel tugged the dog away whilst she was still talking, leaving it all clear for me. Rejoicing inside at my good luck, I slowly edged towards the building, now cautious after not noticing those guards who were originally right in front of my nose! Crazy Redd followed in close pursuit, his eyes set, showing no emotion. I was about to open the door but it turned out to be locked. I pulled with all my might but it wouldn't budge. I growled with frustration. I turned around to demand what to do next, and I saw him tutting and rolling his eyes.

"You're supposed to be an epic prankster and you can't open a door?" He exclaimed, smirking at me.

Comprehension dawned on me, and I fished around in my pockets and pulled out an overused hairpin. After clicking and fiddling with the lock for a few minutes a sudden shock exploded through my body. The lock was electric. I felt extreme pain, and then everything went black.


	16. Chapter 16 Alex Part 2

**Wow, totally feeling the creative vibes man, must be something to do with that month gone off gingerbread. Right Meg?**

**_Definitely_**_**, Bryndellin. They sure taste nice, though, although they're slightly soft... Oh, WARNING: This chapter contains slight mention of Cralex, Palex and Crapple! Now, onto the story...**_

__**I love Crapple, btw slight alcoholic reference in here. I AM NOT ENCOURAGING YOU TO DRINK, DRINKING IS WRONG! But they are idiots so I'll let them have their flapdoodle. Byesies!**

I woke up to find an orange fox staring at me. I groggily squinted at him, and then I realised who it was.

"Yeah, I found this antidote in that funny bag of yours, does it have everything in there or something?" asked Crazy Redd, looking emotionless again after realising I was conscious.

I suddenly remembered where I was, lying on the cold stone floor outside Nookingtons, on a rescue mission to save my best friend. All memories flooded back, and I shuddered. I remembered what he had just said about the bag. My eyes widened.

I got up shakily and grabbed the bag. Aimlessly feeling around, I pulled out… a pebble.

Looking at it with bemusement, I wondered how I was supposed to use this. It felt smooth and completely harmless. Crazy Redd had a similar expression on his face, except he also had a frown.

"It really does have everything in there." He muttered, folding his arms.

Out of sheer frustration, I lobbed it at the wall with all my might. "WHY CAN'T I GET-"

*BOOM*

We were both thrown off our feet as an echoing blast destroyed the building. I found Crazy Redd's arms were around me as we were slammed into a nearby tree. As the explosion died off, I looked up into his eyes. There was a glint of emotion there and he quickly took his arms away and got up, catching an apple that was just about to hit me on the head. He took a bite from it, and licked his lips.

"These are delicious." He murmured, as I caught another one as it dropped. Taking a bite myself, I grunted in disagreement.

"I find them quite bitter myself." I commented, tossing it aside. I got up and approached the now mutilated building. I looked down amongst the rubble and saw a hint of blue amongst the mess. It was Peewee.

He climbed out of the rubble, dusted himself off then threw his arms around me. I returned the hug, overjoyed at being reunited with the guy that got me in this mess in the first place.

"I knew you'd come." He said simply, stroking my hair. I put my arms around him tighter, just incase he got taken away from me again.

"Of course I would." I laughed, "I got you into this mess."

"Shut up, it was my idea lil dude!" he retorted, smirking at me.

"Yeah, but I did it." I replied, still laughing.

Crazy Redd ambled over, cradling an apple in his hands. "Crazy Redd." He announced awkwardly, holding out his orange paw, in which was a business card. His other hand was absent mindedly caressing the apple. Peewee took it and put it in his pocket. He nodded at Crazy Redd and his mouth twitched into a half smile.

"We've got to get back to the boat," I said, breaking the tension. "Nook is probably still there."

Crazy Redd growled and Peewee snarled. I accepted this as some form of agreement to what I was saying, and beckoned them forward.

We headed towards the beach as a united front. As the sand wedged itself between my bare feet, I reminisced on the times I spent here with Peewee. When we skipped stones, snuck up on Pascal and stole his scallops, then gave them back to him whilst he didn't know a thing, eating coconuts and mixing things together and making 'potions' with whatever fruit we could find. I remember presenting these concoctions to random neighbours saying they would take away all their problems, and when we saw Queenie staggering around drunk later on with an equally drunk Pecan, we came to the conclusion that we had successfully made alcoholic cocktails. (Note to self: Peach and Coconut combination works best) Every birthday Peewee would come over with my favourite combination cocktail, but I was only ever allowed the one, because according to him I would get hammered after one. I used to do the same for him (his was orange and pear).

"So how are we going to get to this boat?" asked Peewee, and I snapped out of my daydream. I looked at him blankly, but Crazy Redd was beckoning us over from the other side of the beach.

"I found this, Alex?" he indicated his question directly to me. Next to him was a boat and in his hand was a battered photo. I took it and peered at it closely, Peewee looking over my shoulder. It was a picture of a small boy with messy brown curls standing next to an older woman that looked pretty much exactly like him, but rather plump compared to the boys skinniness. Her arms were wrapped around him tightly, almost smothering him. Next to them, cut out of the picture, was a girl, she looked slightly older than the boy. She had a heart shaped face and long, straight brown hair. I looked at the boy again, he reminded me of someone. As I saw the boy's sea green eyes I finally recognised him.

"Caitlin!"


	17. Chapter 17 Caitlin

**Argh so much to do, so little time... But theres always time for an indian. NOT LITERALLY. I mean curry! Omnomnom. But yeah, TO CAITLIN**

You know, this isn't so bad… I thought as my body did who knows what. I feel… happy. Like there's nothing in the world to keep me down, no responsibilities or worries at all… It's fun. Why was I even worried about this in the first place? This is the best I've felt in ages! No patterns to worry about getting right, no villagers to make me feel bad about myself… It felt like that time when I was younger when I fell asleep that one time on the beach below a really hot sun. True, the tide did pull me out to sea and I almost… Wait… what happened next? Huh, that's funny, I can't remember. Heh, that's funny. Wait, what was I talking about again? Who cares, this is relaxing… Ahh… Nothing to care about… No Tom Nook, no… Hang on, what was my sisters name again? Callie? Mallie? Did I even have a sister? And that other random girl… That weird, confident one with the floofy purple hair… Heh… Floofy. It's such a weird word! Floofy… Floofy… Ha… Yeah, what was that girls name? Everythings so distant… Was it Allie? Or Alice? Yeah, that was her name! Alice! Hah, she was really cool! I wish I was as cool as Alice! Wait… Her name wasn't Alice, was it. That was the hippo in my town… No, she wasn't a hippo she was a kangaroo… Koala? Something from Africa. Wait, Australia, not Africa. Heh, I'm loosing my mind, that's so awesome! What was I thinking about, again? Oh, right, Alvin. Wait, Alice. No, Allie. No… Andy? Arianna? Anna? Alina? Uh… Albus?  
>No.<br>It was Alex.  
>Alex.<br>iFind Redd and Alex. Steal Redd's precious items. Bring Alex to me.i  
>What the hell was I doing? I had to stop this. No, I can't even remember my own name, how was I going to stop… whatever I was going to stop! Oh, I remember, my name is Corrin! No, no it's not… Urgh, this is confusing. Come on… Remember… Remember… What was my name?<br>i"Wh- who are you?" I asked nevously, scared of this confident new purple figure in my life.  
>"I'm Alex," She said cheerfully, "What's your name?"<br>"Caitlin."

"I need to get back home."  
>"You need to get home?" I asked, eyes raising, "I need to get home more than you do! You don't even live in Mhamai!" She turned to me.<br>"Hang on, you live in Miami?" She gasped. "That was Miami? It was lot colder than I imagined..."  
>"Not Miami, you idiot! Mhamai!" I corrected.<br>"Oh..." She paused. "That explains the stupid weather then."  
>"The weather isn't stupid!" I snapped, "I like it!"<br>"As I said before, that explains the weather then."

"What are we going to do?" I wailed, shocked and slightly teary at the sight that I'd just seen. I have a very fragile brain.  
>"We're going to find out who's controlling Horace." Alex said simply.<br>"But how?" I asked her, a slight nervous edge to my voice.  
>"By shutting up and doing as I say." She said, hugging me slightly tighter. I looked up at her, gazing straight into her molten chocolate eyes. "It's all going to be okay. I promise."<p>

We were listening to K.K. Slider's story of how he got on the ship, then I noticed there wasn't something quite right about Alex. As long as I'd known her, she had been straightforward, and bold, and happy and confident. And brave. Extremely brave. I hadn't seen her shed a tear, and as far as I knew, she probably hadn't cried ever. The total opposite of crybaby me. But, all of a sudden, her eye seemed moist, as if she was on the brim of crying. Then, the emotion seemed to disappear; she didn't want anybody to know she had feelings. Well, don't worry Alex, I told her mentally, I won't tell anyone you're human.  
>"My life in a nutshell." K.K. Slider finished, frowning. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could Alex turned and she ran out of the room.<br>"ALEX!" I yelled out to her, but she had seemingly disappeared. "Where'd she go?"  
>"Who knows, man?" K.K. Slider shrugged, reaching for thin air. I realised he must have been going to get his guitar, but, it wasn't there. It felt wrong to see him without his guitar, almost like he was naked. He sighed, and started to hum instead. I was going to get back K.K. Slider's guitar, if it was the last thing I did- knowing full well it might be, this Tom Nook sounded kinda scary. Very scary. I gulped. Was it too late to back out?<br>Yesi  
>I blinked. I could move my eyes again! I could feel the cold wind against my face, could see the shady shadows of trees clustered around me. I groaned, my head hurt. A light flickered on in the house in front of me. A door opened. The world felt a little bit spinny to me.<br>"Who's there?" Called out a honey-like voice. I felt weak, really really weak.  
>"Mommy," I said, my voice hoarse, barely a whisper.<br>"Caitlin! My baby!" I collapsed into her opened arms.


	18. Chapter 18 Alex

**Tis Alex again, Haha thanks for le reviews and stuff, keep it up because it makes me happy^.^**

"Caitlin!"

I stopped dead, the photo still clutched in my hand. Where was he? My mind flashed back to the last time I was on that boat. I walked off, I left him with Slider. "He must have gone after me." I muttered to myself.

Peewee saw the look on my face and translated it in next to no time. "You know this guy?" he asked, cocking his head to one side in thought.

"Yeah." I said. Words could barely form in my mouth. I felt like he was my responsibility, and now I had lost him. I had no way of contacting him at all. I squashed all these thoughts into the back of my mind and rearranging my face to it looked like it showed no emotion. Crazy Redd was looking at me with interest, his poker face was expressionless. How he could do that I'll never know.

I decided to put destroying Nook as my first job, and examined the little boat still drifting in front of us. Caitlin's going to have to learn to look after himself one day. Maybe he managed to get back home? I ran my finger along the edge of the boat, checking for any rotten pieces of wood, any weaknesses. Determining that it was safe, I tentatively stepped inside. It rocked a little as it teetered against the water, but I settled inside and started whistling, looking up expectantly at Crazy Redd and Peewee.

They both got in awkwardly, and after rummaging around in my bag I produced an oar, and proceeded to row the boat.

"Surely one of us should do that?" asked Redd, still holding the apple from earlier.

"Why is that?" I demanded. I stopped rowing and the boat absent mindedly drifted forwards on its own accord.

"I wouldn't." Muttered Peewee to Crazy Redd, loud enough for me to hear.

He ignored his advice. "But you're a girl!" he cried in exasperation.

He had well and truly pushed a button. I hate being undermined because I'm a girl. Turning my back on both of them, I rowed the boat with all my might, and it moved across the ocean alarmingly fast.

"Told ya lil dude." Peewee commented, shrugging his shoulders. The boat cruised across the body of water with grace. Soon enough, a metallic blob could be seen in the distance.

"There it is," said Redd, stating the obvious. "That wasn't hard."

"That's because Alex was rowing." Peewee replied chuckling. There was a tone of admiration in his voice. I smiled to myself while I was still facing away from them. The metallic blob increased in size as we neared it. It loomed over us: The brass S.S crossing sign near the helm shone brightly, twinkling in the sunlight. "That's totally going to give people the wrong idea." I thought to myself, thinking of a twinkly happy cruise liner that would take me away to paradise. Or a big adventure park. I don't mind.

As our boat caught up with the bigger one, I noticed a window was left open. Peewee, being the tallest, stood up cautiously and wobbling slightly, peered in.

"It's empty," He said, "as far as I can tell anyway." He mused, squinting into what looked like nothing.

"Sounds fun!" I declared cheerfully. I pushed my out of control purple hair from out of my face and jumped. I was dangling from the window, my feet inches off the ground. Laughing, I aimlessly swung backwards and forwards with the wind. "This IS fun!" I yelled to the others, giggling with delight.

That was, until I slipped, let go and got plunged into the water with a loud crash.


	19. Chapter 19 Caitlin

**I've cut my finger, and its bleeding -cries- but hey, it's caitlin, smile:-)**

I snuggled up amongst my bright blue duvet, a warm hot chocolate in my hands, while my mum fluttered around the room, turning on the lights and fluffing up my pillows, and turning on the TV to my favourite program just so I wouldn't have to.  
>This was the life.<br>She then rushed out of my room, and quickly returned with my favourite book ("The Magical Unicorns Go to Candy Island"), a sketchpad and pencils and a tray full of gooey, warm, chocolate cookies.  
>This was the life.<br>She read out my favourite book, doing the voices and everything. She brought my favourite movie up, "The Purple Tulip", and even got tissues for when the hedgehog got run over.  
>This was the life.<br>She sang me my favourite songs, all of them, even the silly ones, and told me jokes all night long. Then I fell asleep to my favourite lullaby and dreamed of marshmallows and lollypops and candyfloss.  
>This was the life.<br>When I woke up, Mum had left, probably to sleep herself. The sun was just rising above my window panes. I was content just to lie back and think happy thoughts. Then, the golden light flooded my room, illuminating all my belonging and a piece of paper. I frowned, that paper wasn't supposed to be in my room… I got out of bed and stumbled over to the table where it lay, picked it up, and read it.

Leanne,  
>Thank you for your generous donation to my cause. Of course I won't let my army of animals attack your son.<br>Pleasure doing business with you,  
>Tom Horace Nook<p>

I blinked. What had I just read? Nook… Nook was the racoon who had tried to mind control me, the guy who Alex was probably fighting right now. And my Mum had paid him off not to hurt me? I blinked.  
>"Well, that was a bit of a shock horror moment." Stated the cooler version of me- Mike.<br>"You again?" I asked, my mind still on the letter I held in my hands.  
>"Ooh, getting cheeky with me now, are you?" Mike grinned. "You're learning. So, have you told your Mum that your brain said you were crazy yet? Of course, you're kind of alienated on that subject right now." I frowned. "So, what are you going to do about it? You are going to do something about it, right?" He eyed me as if he were uncertain.<br>"What am I supposed to do? Go on, give me an idea." I told him, tired a bit of him randomly popping up in my life.  
>"Okay, Option One: Do nothing. Stay here as a Momma's boy all your life, living knowing that she funded an evil dictator to keep you safe." He paused, trying to give me space to think. "Option Two: Leave. Leave here and go off to find Alex, or someone, and help take Tom Horace-" He giggled, "Nook. So, what'll it be?" He stood there, looking kind of obnoxious.<br>"Um…" I shifted my gaze from side to side. "Uh… I'm… I don't… I think I… Er…" He looked bored.  
>"You know what? I'll decide for you." He nodded, and I was alarmed. "Option Two- you're leaving."<br>"No, I haven't-"  
>"You're leaving!" He sang, grabbing a backpack and stuffing things in. "Oh, do you still have your vase? I forgot to ask, in case your mum took it." I shifted around in my pocket, and nodded when I felt it. "Good. So then… Canteen of water, sketchpad, your favourite book- Really? The Magical Unicorns?" He rolled his eyes. "You need to grow a backbone." He placed the backpack on my back. "Ready? C'mon, lets frog-march you to your looming doom!" He laughed, albeit crazily. At my apprehensive look, he laughed again. "Move on, move on!" He pushed me towards the exit. "Bye bye momma, see you once we save the world- isn't that right, Caity boy? You know who you remind me of? That cat. Katie, or whatever her name is. Always getting lost from her mother, crying about it, and always falling over! Just like you, have almost the same name too! That's really uncanny! Just like her… just like her… Act like a bloomin' kitten, you do, sometimes…" Somebody save me. I'm being dragged to opposing doom by my own crazy brain… My life is really messed up, isn't it?<p> 


	20. Chapter 20 Tom Nook

**Feel privaliged, two chapters in one day:-D This is Nooks POV now, enjoy kiddiewinkles:-)**

I stepped off the train around 4 in the morning, and my first expression there was shock, and some horror. Literally. I stepped off the train and immediately a young girl screamed.  
>"RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!" She was waving her net and running at me at a really fast speed, and soon I saw what was chasing her. "SAM'S AFTER ME!" A scorpion was scuttling after her, looking angry. "HE'S ANGRY THAT I CAUGHT HIS FRIEND TARA THE TARANTULA!" I quickly began to sprint in the other direction, hoping to outrun both her and the scorpion, which was apparently named Sam. Of course, I'm not the fittest of racoons, and I had to stop to catch my breath beside the towns' museum. I wasn't sure where I was, even though a blue cat had told me. All I knew was that this place had a lighthouse. And a lighthouse was vital to my plan.<br>"Hi."  
>"!" I screamed, clutching my chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"<br>"Hee hee! Look, I caught Sam!" She giggled, holding the struggling scorpion to me. "He's so cute, and sooo nice don't you think? He'll complete my awesome insect collection, after I get the last shark! Woohoo!" She giggled again. I flinched when the scorpion tried to sting me. "Nuh hu, bad Sam. Into the pocket you go." She shook her finger at the scorpion before thrusting it into her pocket. "HI! I'm Momo! I live in Rhinestone. My friends are called Gabi and Biskit. Do you speak French? BONJOUR Je m'appelle Momo! Je habite un Rhinestone. Mes copains s'appelle-"  
>"Okay, okay…" I nodded, eager to cut her off. "I am Tom Nook. I work in Brynland. My accomplices are named Cookie and Caroline, unfortunately. I do not speak French, please do not do it again. Where is the lighthouse?"<br>"Ooh you're here for our lighthouse? It's really big, and made of stone, and has a light, and it's a house and…" She rambled.  
>"Where is it?" I asked her, gritting my teeth. She reminded me a lot of Caroline, something I didn't want to happen.<br>"Down by the beach, silly!" She burst out laughing. "Where else would it be? Do you want me to give you directions? It's down, down, down passed the red house- it's haunted by the way by Klaus the ghost don't go in there!" She shivered. "And across, cross, cross the bridge, and down, down, down the ramp. Don't forget to get three apples from the orchard or Patty will be mad!" She grinned brightly.  
>"Okay. I got it." I nodded, eager to leave. I turned and almost bumped into an orange and yellow squirrel. An orange and yellow squirrel I'd left at home. To guard Peewee and my base of operations. "CAROLINE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I TOLD YOU TO GUARD MY SHOP!" Her gaze shifted guiltily under my scrutinizing one. "Caroline…" I growled at her, "What happened to my shop?"<br>"Well, arfer," Cookie popped up from behind her, giving me another heart attack. "We were hanging around, guarding the shop like you said, arfer, when we got bored."  
>"You… got… bored?" I questioned. Of course, what was I thinking, the two animals had VERY short attention spans!<br>"Uh-huh! So we went down to the Roost to grab some java and catch up on gossip! I mean, it wasn't like Alex was going to pop up and blow up the shop, right?" Cookie grinned at me innocently.  
>"Alex popped up and blew up the shop, didn't she." I said emotionlessly. Cookie and Caroline nodded. "D**N IT!" I exploded. "WHY? WHY ME! WHY DOES SHE ALWAYS RAIN ON MY PARADE? MY SHOP! MY BASE! MY HOME!" I began to hit my head on the side of the museum in angst.<br>"Uh… Does he do that often?"  
>"Yep!"<br>"Will he be okay?"  
>"Hm… Well he's already slightly crazy so I don't think it'll do any lasting damage."<br>. . . "!"


	21. Chapter 21 Alex

**Alex is back in the virtual building! Thanks to invader cakez for consistently reviewing! *virtual hi-5 to you* **

I was floating downwards, I couldn't control it. This was it.

Or was it?  
>Who am I? The ultimate prankster, the most fearless daredevil of Brynland and possibly the entire animal crossing kingdom! I felt like I was doing what Caitlin would do, not what Alex would do!<p>

Wait, Caitlin. We were doing this for Caitlin. I was meant to look after him, I needed to get him back.

But slight problem: As all these thoughts were mulling around in my messed up brain I was sinking further and further down. I couldn't breathe. Literally.

I could feel my face turning purple, the same colour as my violent hair, my eyes were clenched shut so the salt water wouldn't get in my eyes, I could feel strong arms pulling me upwards, this must be me dying, I'm going to be taken up to heaven?

That can't be right. I don't deserve it, I can't deserve it. I didn't do what I promised myself to do...

I could feel fresh air whistling through my hair and whipping my face. I could hear voices, is this it? Is this the afterlife?  
>I opened my eyes.<p>

"You took your time lil dude!" commented Peewee, looking at me torn between relief and annoyance.

"Well she did stop breathing, so that's just CRAZZZYYYY!" retorted Crazy Redd, also looking at me, but as usual his face showed no emotion.

"Woah, calm down guys!" I shut them both up. "What the hell are we doing bobbing around in the middle of the ocean?"

"Aw pitfall seed," murmured Peewee.

"The boat!" Peewee and Crazy Redd exclaimed together.

I saw a metallic blob in the distance. "We're going to have to swim." I said, determined to complete my task.

What seemed like hours later the metallic blob we were aiming for was finally starting to take shape as we edged slowly closer. Peewee and I were holding out fine, we used to swim in the oceans loads in the night while everyone was sleeping. However Crazy Redd was struggling.

"I—can't-do-this-it's-CRAZZY!" he panted.

"Here," I offered. "Put your arms around my neck and I'll take you."

Slowly he wrapped his arms around my neck, clinging on for dear life to what little flesh and bone I had. I could see a secret smile etched on his face but as soon as he caught my eye he rearranged his expression so he looked impassive again.

We looked like such an awkward group. Peewee was powering ahead, his strong arms cutting through the ocean like knives, then me powering along almost as fast, but when you have an orange fox clinging to your back it's much harder to swim. Trust me, don't try it.

Eventually, we got to the boat.

We couldn't get in the way we tried last time, it was too high up. The water was freezing, Even Crazy Redd was no longer bright orange. Thinking about it Peewee is blue anyway... I looked at him and saw he was violently shivering. Pushing all cold vibes aside, I tried to figure out a way in. Then I saw it. Right under my blue nose.

Literally.

It was a vent. An Alex sized vent.

"I've found our way in guys." I indicated towards the vent.

"Not to be a bummer or anything" butted in Peewee "But its bolted shut."  
>"What about that bag Alex?" Crazy Redd asked me.<br>"What bag lil dude?" Peewee questioned.

"This one." I answered, pointing towards my back. Crazy Redd, realising he was right by it because he was still on my back, opened it and pulled out a screwdriver. Peewee's face dawned with comprehension.

"I gave that bag to you." He smiled. I grinned back then set to work with the screwdriver. I loosened all the bolts and it fell off easily. Passing the front of the vent to Peewee, I studied it.

"Who wants to go in first?" I asked, smirking.

"I guess I have no choice if I want to stay dry." Replied Crazy Redd who was inches from my face. I turned around so he could slide off my back into the vent. I waited until the orange glint of his body was quite far down the hole, then I clambered in myself. I put my hand out behind me to check Peewee was in. I heard the clank of the vent front being slotted back into place and then I felt a hand touch mine. Together we progressed forward, with Crazy Redd ahead in the distance of the dark tunnel.

_We're coming Caitlin, we're coming to get you._


	22. Chapter 22 Caitlin

**Sorry It's been a while, I've got GCSE's... yes... THEM D: *shudders***

"I'm getting bored now." Mike said. He hadn't stopped talking since we'd left- on foot- for Brynland, where we assumed Nook still was. We were almost there, and my feet had blisters on them. I hoped that Nook had some foot cream at his base. "Why didn't we bring your stereo with us? We could have listened to some Slider records!"  
>"I don't have any K.K. Slider bootlegs." I reminded him, "I never saw any of his concerts."<br>"You… Never… Wha?" Mike blinked a couple of times then shook his head. "Man, we need to get you to one of them. I mean, come on! Movies I can get, even the Unicorn thing, but never seeing a K.K. concert?" He shook his head again. "I feel sorry for you, dude. Real sorry. I mean, even Katie's seen a K.K. concert!" And we were back to the kitten again. I sighed. "Are we there yet?"  
>"No." I told him. He was silent for a second.<br>"Are we there yet?"  
>"No."<br>"Are we there yet?"  
>"No."<br>"How about now?"  
>"No."<br>"Now?"  
>"No."<br>"Now?"  
>"No!"<br>"Are we there yet?"  
>"Yes."<br>"Really?"  
>"NO!"<p>

"Okay, now we're here." He whooped and I looked around. The town seemed pretty much normal. No sign that there was a tyrannical tyrant on the loose at all…  
>"We're not here to sightsee." Mike reminded me. "We're here to kick some racoon butt, save a random girl who'll probably save you instead, and maybe get you killed- which reminds me, what song do you want at your funeral? Never mind, you don't know any good ones anyway, so I'll sort it out. I'm thinking Bohemian Rhapsody, or even the Muppet version. Yeah, the Muppet version. I mean, at the start Animal just says Momma over and over! Just like you! Anyway, let's go find Nook's rebel base. I'm guessing that it'll be below his shop, so come on- yes, he'll most definitely have foot cream. Or at least medicine." He grabbed me and pulled me forward.<br>"Where is his shop?" I asked, wishing that Alex was here to give me a tour of the town. Mike raised his eyebrows as if to say 'You always wish that Alex was around, idiot.' Yeah, that was true… I gasped when I saw the state that Nook's shop was in. Or rather, the state of the location of the shop was in. That was because the shop was now non-existent. All that remained where burn marks.  
>"What happened here?" Mike asked, all of a sudden in a Sherlock Holmes outfit holding a notebook, pen and old fashioned magnifying glass.<br>"Alex." I answered, knowing the answer before I could even react. I almost laughed. How would I know something like that?  
>"Huh, okay then…" Mike contemplated the thought. "Whoever was guarding this place is probably in a world of hurt. So then… Let's scope out the rest of the town, see if Nook's hiding anywhere, then we'll try to work out where he is if he's not here." I nodded. "Split up! You head down to the beach and I'll check out the locals!" I nodded, and left towards the beach. The sun was just rising above the horizon, and I fancied that I saw the cruise boat on the line at the edge. I shook my head and began to scan the beach for any sign of Nook. Instead, I saw an old piece of paper. Curious, I picked it up, and almost dropped it in shock. It wasn't a piece of paper. It was a photo. A photo of me, my mother and my sister. Or, half of my sister. She had been cut out of the picture. "Hey, Caity boy! No luck with the locals, although I did meet this really hot duck, got her number whaddaya think? … Caity boy?" I turned as Mike appeared behind me. "What did you find?" I held up the photo. He looked at it. "Ah, memories." I blinked. "I wonder where your sister is, though… Wasn't at home, was she?" My eyes widened.<br>"What… What do you think's happened to her?" I stammered. "Nook… Mum didn't pay for her protection only mine what if he got her what if he's hurting her what if he's using her what if-"  
>"Caity boy, calm down!" Mike commanded, and I shut up. "Nothing's going to come from hyperventilating. If Nook has her..." My eyes widened once again. "Not that he necessarily does- If he does, though, we will get her back. One good thing I did get from my search, was down at the Roost, somebody talked about Nook- they were talking about how he was looking for a lighthouse." I frowned and cocked my head slightly to the right. "So I did some research. I broke into Alex's house-"<br>"You did what?" I asked, shocked.  
>"Yeah yeah so I do some bad things for the right reasons whatever, it's all for the greater good right? You." He prodded me on the nose. "Need to learn to take risks, like me. And Alex. So yeah, I broke into her house and used her computer. Turns out there's only one lighthouse so far that is complete that isn't ages away. From what I gathered Nook needs it now, so I guess he'll be going to that place- Rhinestone. Since he's going to be there, we'll need to be there as well. So I took the liberty of getting us a cab there. They also have a train running there, but that doesn't get here until tomorrow and I don't have enough patience to wait so I used Alex's computer and bank details- don't look at me that way it gives me the creeps!" He shuddered.<br>"That's stealing."  
>"So what I'm not your conscience deal with it." He waved his hand away. "Your conscience is over there." He pointed over to some rocks where a girl wearing angel wings sat. She waved, and I waved back. She smiled. "Unfortunately for herself, she's mute, whatever. Somehow she can mentally communicate with you, apparently. Don't believe a word about it." The girl stuck her middle finger up at him and Mike gasped. "I'm shocked at you! I thought you were an angel." He shook his head. "Anyways I used Alex's bank details to get us a taxi- K'ppns driving won't that be fun? And I've arranged some accommodation with this girl named Momo- real nice girl used your e-mail to talk to her hope you don't mind. She's a bit random but can speak French has a nice spare room in her basement she's willing to rent us for a while. She said it's Princess themed but I told her it was okay because you're a bit of a girl already, aren't you Caity boy?" I blushed, and he burst out laughing. "Now, come on, mister. The taxi should be arriving soon and I wanna go go go!" He grinned. "See you later!" He yelled at my supposedly mute conscience, who nodded and disappeared in a flash of golden light. "Stupid do-gooders. Always get the cool effects, don't they." Mike mumbled, before leading me to the Town Hall, where K'ppn was waiting to take me to Rhinestone- and my probable doom, but also to Alex, so I suppose this trip wasn't going to be too bad…<p> 


	23. Chapter 23 Alex

**Short chapter today until I can figure out what's going to happen next...**

"This is one hell of a long vent"

I looked back behind me, Peewee was still there smirking at me, Crazy Redd must have a fear of water because he was really far ahead. I couldn't even see him.

"Do you think this is some sort of trap?" I asked, sounding really paranoid. Wait, I'm never paranoid. WHAT THE DEVIL IS GOING ON HERE?

Rants aside, I continued crawling up this tunnel of darkness. I squinted and noticed up ahead of me was a smidgen of light. I sped up, Peewee following suit. I craved this little ball of light in the distance, it was getting bigger and bigger, and then...

I fell out of the vent and landed in a small room. I expected to land with a thud and gain another bruise for my extensive collection, but my landing was surprisingly soft. Peewee had an identical confused expression to mine as he flopped down next to me. Looking around, we noticed we were in a very luxurious study. It had flowery wallpaper on the walls but almost all of it was covered in shelving, on which were hundreds of books. In one corner was a wooden desk in which the drawers had been left open, and it was completely clean. I noticed some gaps in the shelves as well where books had been taken. It looked suspicious.

I got up from where I had landed on the soft carpet and started to head towards the door, when Peewee grabbed my arm.

"Where's Redd?" he whispered, glancing around, looking for a flash of orange in between the bookshelves. I followed suit, peering in between all the nooks and crannies in the shelves. Nothing was there. I could hear voices in the corridor outside, so I quickly showed myself in a gap between a shelf and the door and positioned my ear by the keyhole. Peewee jumped into a cupboard.

"LET-ME-GO!" a familiar voice was struggling against some guards from what I could tell.

"Be quiet my little orange friend and come quietly, or you will suffer the consequences." A voice sneered back, confirming my fears.

"Don't do anything." Peewee said immediately from the wardrobe next to me, muffling his voice slightly. The voices stopped, and I froze in terror. The footsteps were getting louder, and then the door opened. I was still stuck in between the wall and the closet. The guards entered and walked to the other side of the room. Crazy Redd was in chains, standing at the back, a guard was holding his with his back to us. The wardrobe slowly opened while they were peering up the open vent, and Peewee dashed out and pulled me out of the room. Crazy Redd looked at me in amazement as I got hauled out of the room, and then Peewee and I ran for our lives.

**Will Crazy Redd get saved? Will Alex and Peewee be able to hide? Who abandoned the study? Why am I asking so many rhetorical questions?**


	24. Chapter 24 Caitlin

**I'm really sorry I uploaded the wrong chapter! Here's the right one... in shorthand! Yes, I am awkward.**

"Yar, it's too bad yer headin' all the way to Rhinestone..." (said Kapp'n)  
>"Why? What's so bad about Rhinestone?" (said Caitlin)<br>"Long way to go, an' it's rainin' fair nor'easter..." (said Kapp'n)  
>"Oh, yeah, I forgot to pack an umberella, didn't I..." (said Mike)<br>"Sometimes I hate you, Mike." (said Caitlin)  
>"Aw, you love me really!" (said Mike)<br>"No. I don't." (said Caitlin)  
>"... Yar, well, all right, then. There be no pleasin' some people, that's fer sure." (said Kapp'n)<br>"I know, right Kapp'n? But what do you expect from the guy who, as a kid, ate caviar for breakfast?" (said Mike)  
>"That was one time!" (said Caitlin)<br>"Yeah right it was." (said Mike)  
>"... Gar, now wait a moment, ye wee snappin' turtle. I never got yer name!" (said Kapp'n)<br>"Oh, it's Mike." (said Mike)  
>"He wasn't asking you he was asking me. I'm Caitlin." (guess who said that, you smart reader folks!)<br>"Yar... Caitlin, is it?" (said Kapp'n)  
>"That's what I said, wasn't it?" (said Caitlin)<br>"So, fond o' the name Caitlin, are ye?" (said Kapp'n)  
>"No. It stinks. People who read an application form written by me think I'm a girl." (said Caitlin)<br>"You are a girl." (said Mike)  
>"No I'm not!" (said Caitlin)<br>"Suuure you're not." (said Mike)  
>"Yar, yar, that be a fine name, pure an' true. It's the perfect name fer a perfect young lass. Young Miss Caitlin..." (said Kapp'n)<br>"I told you both, I'm not a girl!" (said Caitlin)  
>"You are so." (said Mike)<br>"AM NOT!" (said Caitlin)  
>"So, tell me, Caitlin... What're you plannin' on doin' out in Rhinestone?" (said Kapp'n)<br>"Oh, we're planning to overturn a tyranical dictator." (said Caitlin)  
>"And grabbing a coffee." (said Mike)<br>"Ye learnin' the ins an' outs o' interior decoratin'?" (said Kapp'n)  
>"Uhh... No..." (said Caitlin)<br>"I hear Brewster makes perfect coffee." (said Mike)  
>"Nobody cares about your recent random coffee obsession." (said Caitlin)<br>"I bet Kapp'n cares!" (said Mike)  
>"Easy there, ye sea urchin! Don't get yer sails all a-twisted..." (said Kapp'n)<br>"Yeah Caitlin it's not good for your blood pressure." (said Mike)  
>"I don't have high blood pressure you idiot!" (said Caitlin)<br>"Oh noes! Your vien is throbbing!" (said Mike)  
>"SHUT UP!" (said Caitlin)<br>"... Listen, not to change the subkect or aythin', Caitlin, but... Ye look like ye been livin' the cushy life up to now." (said Kapp'n)  
>"I agree. Look at you, you puff!" (said Mike)<br>"Mike, stop insulting me!" (said Caitlin)  
>"You didn't have to get out of bed until you were six!" (said Mike)<br>"I had weak legs..." (said Caitlin)  
>"Not to be blunt, but... Do ye have enough cash to get started here?" (said Kapp'n)<br>"Thanks to him we do." (said Caitlin) *Insert glare*  
>"Woah woah woah... Don't judge me, or we'd be sleeping in a tent! Do you want to sleep in a tent?" (said Mike)<br>"You stole from Alex's account! When she finds out..." (said Caitlin) *Caitlin turns pale* "Oh no! When she finds out she'll go mental!"  
>"I feel so bad for you. I can poof into smoke and disapear, but you..." (said Mike)<br>"No, no, no..." (said Caitlin)  
>"Ye got so quiet all of a sudden, there, missy..." (said Kapp'n)<br>"First off: He's worried about getting beaten up by a girl, and second of..." (said Mike)  
>"I'M NOT A GIRL!" (yelled Caitlin, while Mike mouthed it) "And shut up you!"<br>"I didn't say anything." (said Mike innocently)  
>"Nar, don't ye worry, now. If yer haven't the coin, ye just owe me a dinner. A romantic one! Yar HAR!" (said Kapp'n)<br>"We have money! Mike stole money from Alex, so we have plenty! And... GROSS! I would NEVER date a dude! Mike, help me out here! Help me!" (said Caitlin)  
>"Nope. I'm a dude, I'm not going on a date with him to save your skin. How can he even choose you over me anyway? I mean, I'm way hotter than you!" (said Mike)<br>"You're burnt." (said Caitlin)  
>"I would say burn, but you're not able to burn a person so I'm not going to." (said Mike)<br>"... Well, would ye look there! We're almost at yer town! Rhinestone, ho!" (said Kapp'n)  
>"FINNALLY!" (said Mike)<br>"Well, me dear Caitlin... I know it's heartbreakin', but..." (said Kapp'n)  
>"What's heartbreaking? And you dropped the g." (said Caitlin)<br>"Ooh, do we have to be grammar perfect near you?" (said Mike)  
>"Nar, nar, nar! NAR, says I!" (said Kapp'n)<br>"Lol, nar." (said Mike) *Laughter and a cold glare*  
>"I won't say farewell! 'Tis too painful!" (said Kapp'n)<br>"Bye." (said Caitlin)  
>"Nar... At least the rain is lettin' up... thogh a storm be ragin' in me eyes..." (said Kapp'n)<br>"How poetic!" (said Mike)  
>*The taxi stops and Mike and Caitlin get out*<br>"Yo ho ho, me hearty! We've come ashore!" (said Kapp'n)  
>"... We were on the sea?" (said Mike)<br>"Here it is, Caitlin! Yer fair an' blessed kingdom... Rhinestone!" (said Kapp'n) "If ye got any questions, ye should head over to the town hall. They'll help ye. Yar, time to part, milady..."  
>"I'M NOT A GIRL!" (said Caitlin)<br>"Farewell, Caitlin!" (said Kapp'n)  
>"... Bye Kapp'n." (said Caitlin)<br>"SEE YA!" (yelled Mike)**  
><strong> "... Idiot." (said Caitlin)


	25. Chapter 25 Allie

**I M SORRY FOR NOT POSTING FOR A MONTH, I HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**

And there we were, at the gateway to our new life together. It smelt oddly of salt, but that was to be expected. We were on a boat, after all. I felt a feathery wing brush against my soft palm, I smiled and grasped onto it in a loving embrace of... Well... Fingers and feathers.  
>"We're finally doing this," His voice whispered into my ear. "What we always talked about, bzzert." I blinked slowly, and opened my eyes again. We were. We were actually doing it. We'd gone against my mother, in a large step from being 'the other child', to being my own person. With Jitters. My boyfriend; my life. We had gone from neighbors, to people who comforted each other in moments of weakness, to lovers, in a few short months. Was all of this going to fast? My heart was; it was beating like a hummingbirds'. I looked around the deck of the S.S. Crossing. There were so many possibilities now, nothing was holding me and my birdie boyfriend from a life of happiness, love and freedom-<br>"Here's your uniforms, now get to work and scrub that deck like a decku scrub- ha ha, I'm just joking with you! But really, scrub that deck until it's spotless." Ordered a dog, dumping a pile of clothing in my arms.  
>"Huh?"<br>"Uh, there's been a mistake, bzzert..." Jitters said slowly, "We're passengers..."  
>"No you're not." Said the dog. "If you were a passenger, you would be downstairs in the dining hall."<br>"Uh, we got lost on the way there." I made up, "could you point us there please?"  
>"No, no, no, you're staff. And you have to clean this deck! It's dirty I tell you! Dirty! Not like my cap, it's a very nice cap, don't you think? I got it last week!" The dog continued, before turning and yelling at a random bear.<br>"You there! Whoever you are! Clean my cap!" He ordered the bear, and the bear took the cap the dog gave him. "Oh, and my name is Horace, but you can call me Sir Bossman."

"I am not enjoying this." Jitters said as he scrubbed the deck.  
>"You're not the one wearing the skimpy skirt." I replied, pulling the blue and offensive skirt down self-consciously. "I thought that we were passengers on this ship, Jitters!"<br>"Me too, honestly." Jitters agreed, "but apparently not."  
>"It's degrading. I've gone from scrubbing a kitchen to make cookies for Caitlin, to scrubbing the deck of a ship that was meant to be a sign for freedom." I grumbled.<br>"I'm sorry, Allie, I really am, bzzert." Jitters said, a smile in his voice. He turned, and gave me a hug. "We're going to find a way out of this, Allie. Just you wait."

"I've got it, Allie." Jitters whispered to me not a few hours later, when we were setting up millions of tables for dinner. Appetizer fork, dinner fork, plate, dinner knife, appetizer knife, appetizer spoon, the pattern was, with desert spoons and forks north of the plate, and a wine glass, sherry glass and normal glass next to them.  
>"Got what?" I asked, folding a napkin into a swan, which one of the crewmembers had shown me how to do.<br>"How we'll escape, bzzert." Jitters replied excitedly. "I heard a couple of crew members talking, there are loads of lifeboats onboard. It's simple, we take one, lower it down, and then set off!"  
>"But what if we get caught?" I frowned, feeling very pessimistic.<br>"If we get caught, well... Uh... We improvise?" He shrugged, "We'll be doing it in the middle of the night, so nobody should be up anyway." I nodded, and began to work again.

"Ready?" Jitters voice came to me in the coolness of the light. It was odd to think that only a day had passed; it felt like an eternity. I pulled a pink wrap I had brought around myself, it was so cold out tonight. I looked up at the sky, it was dotted with a trillion sparkling stars. Just like the night Titanic had sunk- I smirked, it was possibly Caitlin's second favorite movie- after that children's one. Then I frowned. Where was he, was he okay? "Allie? I asked if you were ready..."  
>"Huh? Oh... Yeah, I'm ready." I nodded, smiling and walking over to the edge of the ship. The air around me was cold, cold enough to freeze a person. I wished I'd brought more clothes. Together we uncovered the lifeboat- it was a small one, although big enough to fit a quarter of the staff (and there were around a thousand employed on the ship). We hooked it up to the lowering device and then paused.<br>"This is where it gets hard..." Jitters mused. "How to lower it safely with us both in there..."  
>"Hey, dude."<br>"K.K. Slider?" I gasped upon seeing the white dog. "You got a ticket on the S.S. Animal Crossing?"  
>"It's like a prison, man." K.K. said, somewhat sadly. "They took my guitar."<br>"I'm sure that you'll get it back soon." I nodded comfortingly, and K.K. Slider chuckled.  
>"That's what your brother said." He replied and I blinked.<br>"My brother's here?" I gasped, wanting to hear more. Perhaps I could find him, take him back to Mom, so that she would calm down, and-  
>"With that purple haired kid- but they left a while ago, dude." K.K. nodded. "What you up to?"<br>"We're escaping, K.K, bzzert." Jitters said seriously. "We're getting far, far away from this slave ship."  
>"You'll need two people to man this lifeboat." K.K. Slider mused. "Here- I'll help you lower it, if you let me come with you."<br>"Of course, K.K!" I agreed, "But how will you-"  
>"Me and Jitters will lower it with you in, Allie, then you unhook the lifeboat when we're done. Me and Jitters will then jump down into the ocean, where it'll be your job to pull us out, okay?"<p>

"Jitters? Jitters wake up!" I whispered to him, slapping him lightly. I'd fished K.K. Slider out perfectly, but Jitters had fallen unconscious from hitting the water too fast. Slowly, he came around.  
>"Man, that was cold, bzzert." Were the first words he said. I laughed in spite of myself.<br>"We're off the ship, Jitters. Look- it's just over there-" Just as I said the words, the most bizarre, scary yet beautiful crazy random happenstance occurred. The ship we had been on not long ago blew up. Literally. It burst into flames, a boom echoing around. Within seconds, it had been reduced to ash.  
>"... Woah."<br>"Couldn't have said it better myself."


	26. Chapter 26 Alex

**We will eventually finish this! hahahahahahaha**

The walls and door in the everlasting corridor were flashing by, we didn't stop to look back or work out where we were heading, we just had to get out of there. Eventually we got to the deck of the boat. Peewee turned around, scanning the area for any guards or anything threatening. He gave us the all clear, and we started to explore.

"How are we going to get out of here?" I asked Peewee. He shrugged, still looking around, his jet blank eyes deep and mysterious. Then I saw our escape route. A motor boat was tied to the helm of the boat; it was filled with gadgets and other pointless luxuries. It looked awesome. It reminded me of my house back home in Brynland with the arcade machine and my computer and my TV...

"Alex?" Peewee was looking at me. I snapped out of my trance.

"There's our ticket out of here." I said instantly.

"We could use the plane that's right next to it, wouldn't that be easier?" He replied, shrugging again.

"I like planes, I've never had a chance to be on one but I was waiting for Nook to let me use one as part of my job here since I got my promotion but now he's abandoned his study I'll never have the chance!"

We both froze and turned around to see Horace, cap and all, talking excitedly. I noticed he wasn't very controlling and robotic like when he killed Pinky (See previous chapters), but more happy and cheerful like when we first met him. I mean, don't get me wrong, I totally found his continuous talking thing annoying, but trust me, it was much better than his hitting people against walls thing. I smiled at him.

"I think you will have a chance." I replied calmly. Once again, I remembered the bag. Peewee looked at me in astonishment, but I ignored him. I had a plan. "Horace, get on the plane, and fly to your favourite place, it doesn't matter where, as long as you get as far away from here as possible as fast as possible. Comprende?" I looked at him; my determined look etched all over my face. He looked at me in astonishment, not taking me seriously. Then again, I don't think it helps if you have bright purple hair.

"You serious? I've always wanted to use a plane? Are you sure I won't—"Horace started to say.

"Just do it." I cut in before he started going on a long rant. I didn't know how much time we had left. Obeying my word, He leaned inside the plane and started up the engine.

"I don't know how long it's going to take to warm up, the engines stone cold!" Horace yelled over the whirring of the engine.

"It doesn't matter, Peewee, start up the motor boat." I ordered, untying it from the helm and dragging it over to the platform ready to lower it into the water. Peewee started up the engine of the motor boat, the noise was deafening. The guards could definitely hear us, I bet.

Eventually the engine quietened down and was steadily whirring. Horace came over to us and took off his cap.

"It has been an honour working with you youngsters." He said solemnly, trying to keep his face straight, but then he burst out laughing, not taking this seriously at all. "Ha-ha, I'M FINALLY FLYING A PLANE!" he bellowed, making even more noise. The cool night wind send shivers down my spine. I could hear footsteps.

"You'll be flying off the ship in a minute," I hissed sharply. "Trust me; it's a long way down."

He nodded, and hopped into the plane. The footsteps were getting louder as he rose higher and higher into the sky. As quick as a flash, Peewee jumped into the boat and I joined him, and as we were lowering the boat into the ocean we could hear yells from the deck.

"THEY'RE GETTING AWAY HULLLLAAAA!" I heard a high voice scream. Footsteps hammered over the deck towards us. Peewee was frantically pulling the ropes to lower us, and I helped equally frantically now. Just as they were peering over the edge we landed with a gentle splash, untied the ropes and quickly rowed away.

When we were quite a distance away, we looked at the boat sailing ahead. Then I realised we didn't have clue where to go, or what to do, or where Caitlin and the others were, or anything!

"What do we do now?" I asked Peewee desperately. It was getting cold and I shivered, refusing to let it take over. I've lived in worse conditions. He handed me the bag, laughing. _There's going to be a time when this bag won't save us._

I groaned on the inside as I pulled out... a pebble. It was smooth and looked completely harmless. Then I remembered something, and threw the pebble with all my might at the ship.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU- "

*BOOM*

"THAT WAS EPIC! HI-5!" yelled Horace who was still above us. From the light of the moon I could see the awe in his eyes. I turned around to see Peewee looking equally impressed.

"That was epic." He said, bemused. I smiled at him. I smirked.

"Like the old days." I said wistfully, looking up at the stars.

"Remember the stars Alex?" Peewee asked.

"Yeah" I replied, not looking down.

"You're the brightest of them all."


	27. Chapter 27 Caitlin

**Bryn~ Ohai guys, I hope it's not to long for you between chapters...**

**_Comix~Hi._  
><strong>

Caitlin woke up to something... hairy... crawling on his chest, yet he was too tired to properly open his eyes. After arriving in Rhinestone the night before, he and Mike had met up with Momo, the girl who had offered for them to stay in the basement. She had chattered to them nonstop, before leaving them alone so that Caitlin could finally get some sleep (apparently, Mike didn't rest, because he was an imaginary figment or something). Caitlin had dreamt of happy things that night, and was quite sad he'd woken up. When the hairy thing moved on him again, Caitlin groaned and opened his eyes. He looked down on his chest, where a tarantula was perched on him, dancing a sort of polka. Caitlin screamed.  
>"WHERE'S THE MARMITE!" He heard a girlish- Momo's- voice scream from far away. There were thuds on the stairs, and then Momo ran in, her face covered in red jam. "What happened?"<br>"There's a tarantula on my chest!" Caitlin freaked, and from beside him, Mike sniggered.  
>"And?"<br>"AND? There's a TARANTULA on my CHEST!" The boy began to cry.  
>"Is that a problem?" Momo asked.<br>"YES!"  
>"Oh. In which case, come along, Tara." The tarantula jumped off Caitlin's chest and poked her tongue out at the freaked boy. "Sorry about that, she likes to have human contact."<br>"... Meep."  
>"Breakfasts ready, so you should come up!"<br>"Is that why you have jam all over your face?" Caitlin wondered innocently.  
>"No, why would you ever think that?"<p>

* * *

><p>After getting dressed, Caitlin made his way up the stairs and to the dining hall. He froze in the entryway. There, sitting on a chair, looking at the local newspaper and drinking a kind of animal-adjusted coffee, was none other than the brown, evil tanuki... Tom Nook.<br>"Act like everything's normal." Mike advised, and Caitlin nodded numbly. Hopefully Nook wouldn't recognize him, or...  
>"Good morning." His voice was way too high pitched for someone his age, why had he never noticed that before?<br>"Yeah, morning." The tanuki nodded, as Momo walked in carrying some kind of food that Caitlin didn't recognize. She set it down in front of him.  
>"Enjoy!" She giggled, as it moved around Caitlin's plate... Wait, what?<br>"Did the food just move?" Caitlin asked dubiously.  
>"It does that all the time... Ignore it." Nook told him. Momo retreated upstairs.<br>"So... What's up in the news?" Caitlin hated how cliché he sounded.  
>"Nothing much."<br>"Oh."  
>"Yeah."<br>"The comics?"  
>"Nothing special today, not very humorous."<br>"What about the crossword?"  
>"I'm stuck on one of them, K'ppn is a green blank. Its five words. He's a... turtle right?"<br>"A kappa. K-a-double p-a."  
>"Ah... Right."<br>"So... What brings you to Rhinestone?"  
>"Sightseeing, thought I'd come see this towns lighthouse."<br>"Oh... cool..."  
>"... What about you?"<br>"Travelling around the world, decided to stop off here... A friend recommended it."  
>"Some friend."<br>"Yeah, he's not the best."  
>"HEY! I do my best! Even if I am just a figment!"<br>Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  
>"I'LL GET IT!" Momo screamed from the attic, and she could be heard running down the sta- no, she fell down the stairs. Doing somersaults. She flew right past the door and down into the basement where she hit the floor finally with a dull thud. "I'm okay!" She then came back up the stairs and opened the door. "Nook, it's for you!"<br>"Okay, send them in." Nook replied, and to Caitlin's horror in walked an orange squirrel he knew too well.  
>"Today just isn't your day." Commented Mike.<br>"What, Caroline?" Nook sounded tired.  
>"I just thought I'd catch you up to speed with the events, hulaaa." Caroline replied, and then started talking really fast. "So first off Alex Peewee and Crazy Redd kind of got captured by us and we hauled him away but then Alex and Peewee blew up your boat and Horace has escaped on our best plane..."<br>"Wait, WHAT?" Nook yelled.  
>"Uhuh! We kidnapped Crazy Redd, hulaaa! ... It was Crazy Redd you don't like, right? Not Mad Blue, or Barmy Purple, or Batty Pink, or Mental Orange, or Wacky Yellow, or Psycho Green, right?"<br>"No, I do hate Crazy Redd, but what I was saying what to was the fact that my ship got blown up." Nook sighed.  
>"I feel for you." Caitlin said softly, picking on his breakfast.<br>"Yeah, thanks for that helpless comment." Nook said, looking at him. Then he did a double take. "Wait, I recognize you!" Caitlin froze.  
>"Yeah, me to, hulaaa..." Mused Caroline.<br>"Oh, this is going to bug me for weeks..." Nook groaned. "Um... Weren't you that guy?"  
>"What guy?" Caitlin said, his voice raising an octave. "I'm not that guy."<br>"So you weren't that dude on the insurance advert? Man, I loved that advert! I've gotten stung by bees." Nook imitated the low and boring voice of the man on the random advert. "And I don't have any money to buy medicine from Nooks."  
>"Hm... Maybe, hulaaa, he's that human who did a cameo appearance in Pointed Love! In the episode where... oh, you know!" Caroline mused.<br>"No... No, no, no... WAIT! You're that fashion model for GracieGrace!" Nook yelled. "Of course!"  
>"What?" Mike burst out laughing, and Caitlin blushed.<br>"No..."  
>"What? Are you sure you're not him? You look totally like him!"<br>"No... No I don't!"  
>"He's right." Piped up Caroline. "He looks like... Momma's boy."<br>"I'M NOT A MOMMA'S BOY!" Caitlin yelled. Caroline and Nook gasped simultaneously.  
>"HE IS!" Nook wailed. Then he smiled evilly. "He is..."<p> 


	28. Chapter 28 Alex

**No comment. here's a chapter. -Awkwardly leaves.-**

* * *

><p><em>Alex<em>

"So what are we doing now?" Peewee asked after an extremely awkward silence dragged by.

"We're going to Rhinestone." I replied simply. "The lighthouse is there."

The moon was shining over us, brighter than a beacon, directly over the land to which we were heading towards. As we got nearer, a pale stretch of land appeared in front of us. Coconut trees were dotted across the sandy shore. As the water got shallower, we could see sea horses, angelfish and even a rubber tire. Could that be from Gracie's car? I left my muses as the boat bumped onto the shore. Peewee shot out, his face tinged green in the moonlight. He tripped over a coconut that was harmlessly lying on the sand and fell flat on his face. He rolled over and was just about to howl in pain when I slapped my hand over his mouth, silencing him.

"He could be anywhere!" I hissed, aware that Nook knew his shop and ship had exploded. He had probably headed straight to his final landmark.

With Caitlin.

And Crazy Redd.

Thinking about it, if I hadn't stole Crazy Redd's tent in the first place none of this would have happened. I blame Peewee. It was his idea. Screw him.

I stalked ahead, lost in my own thoughts. Peewee rushed to catch up with me. Then I stopped suddenly.

Lilting melodies could be heard, from what I could gather they were coming from the other end of the beach. Peewee crashed into me, unaware that I had stopped. Then he heard the music too.

"There's music coming from the other end of the beach."  
>"Well done Einstein." I sniggered, steering him right towards the sound. I noticed a small group of people huddled just outside the museum, which were a few yards from the beach which Peewee and I were standing on. Ignoring them, we walked ahead until we could see the lighthouse, however just as we were directly in front of the building they stopped playing.<p>

"Look, people churrrrrp." exclaimed a bird to the others sitting with him. He was holding an acoustic guitar. It reminded me of K.K Slider. I wondered where he was.

"I can see that babe." muttered the bird sitting next to him. He wore a straw hat and held a set of conga drums and wore an expression that made him seem like he didn't want to be there at all.

"Oh my pineapple guys! We should be playing? How are we going to get bells?" a girl squealed at the edge of the group. She had bushy brown hair and she looked as if she had had waaaaaaaay too much sugar. Her candyfloss coloured eyes sparkled in the moonlight, which made her look cute yet slightly creepy at the same time, must be the hyper overdrive. Eventually they started playing again, a tune which I recognised as 'K.K Ragtime'. The girl was humming along to the music, swaying as if she was just singing in the shower. They looked as if they had rehearsed it before, but they literally just picked up their instruments and played whatever came to them, harmonising naturally. I chucked some loose change I had in my pocket in the bird's guitar case and motioned to Peewee to walk on. He scuttled in my wake like a little child, and I waved to the musicians, feeling generous. But as soon as we walked away they stopped playing again.

"OMG THEY LEFT, THEY STOPPED LISTENING AND JUST WALKED AWAY!" yelled the girl, her hair sticking up around her round face like a lion's mane.

"Calm down Momo babe," grunted the bird in the straw hat. "Why don't we all call it a day and head home."

"WE CAN'T DO THAT I NEED BELLS!" Momo screeched angrily back, almost knocking the bird's hat off with the force of her voice.

I turned around, feeling bad. "Do you really need bells that bad?" I asked, still within talking distance.

"Well... I wanted a house expansion... and I'm still a ton of bells short... and I can't sell all my common items yet..." She gazed into the distance, daydreaming, hyperness gone.

"Can you tell us where the town hall is? Alex will get some money out for you then so you can pay it off!" Peewee requested, smirking at me, knowing I am pretty loaded.

I glared at him, vowing to get my revenge later, smiled and nodded.

"YAY!" squealed Momo. "It's down here, come on!" she said excitedly, beckoning the grumpy bird forward to accompany her. She skipped ahead, obviously on cloud nine. We followed just behind, slightly nervous. Is this a trap? I couldn't work it out. I walked slowly, cautious. I took in my surroundings. The beach was quite a way behind us now, the boat still harmlessly resting on the shore. The other guy playing the guitar at the museum must have gone home, because it was now quiet and empty. Looking further, I noticed that there was a light on in a house near it, so I figured it was his. The town gate was just behind, just far away to give me a very unlikely chance of escaping through there. I concluded that I would just have to go with the flow and keep positive. I looked down and noticed Peewee was holding my hand. Seeing my discomfort, he gently squeezed it and I felt slightly reassured.

"HERE WE ARE!" announced Momo, cutting into my thoughts. I noticed a little yellow bird cheeping on the bulletin board. I stopped, admiring it, and then saw it suddenly shrivel up and burn to the ground, turning into ashes at the foot of what was now a television. I nudged Peewee, and he looked over and gasped.

An image slowly formed, first showing Caroline, Crazy Redd, and then...

"CAITLIN!" I screamed, frantic, thoughts were pouring in and out of my already fried brain. _How long had he been there for? Is he starved? Is he alive? _I couldn't tell, his hands and feet were bound and a gag covered most of his face. He had frozen, and wasn't moving, most probably in fright. Before I could over think, Nook had taken over the screen. My fists were clenched, my desire to rip him limb from limb was overbearing. He had taken Caitlin, and Crazy Redd, and his apple. I mean, how low can you go?

"I have your dearest friends, Alex," Nook began to speak, a look of triumph on his already smug face. "And I plan to kill them, if you don't give me what I want. Surrender and they will be safe. Oh, and I want your red vase."

I looked confused, what red vase? He vanished and the TV disintegrated, joining the bird ash at my feet leaving me lost in my panicked thoughts.


	29. Chapter 29 Caitlin

**It's been a long time...**

**Now Comix and I are both finished we shall endeavour to finish this! **

**Meanwhile check out her stories at Comix and Co and mine... you're already here! Hello!**

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><p><span><strong>Caitlin POV~Comix and Co<strong>

The first thing Caitlin thought about upon waking was that it was dark. He mentally smacked himself; of course it's dark I've been blindfolded. Gagged, too, he realised upon trying to take a breath. He mmph'd in protest, and heard Caroline's voice from not too far away from him.

"Hey, Nook, Momma's boy is awake!" She half-sang. "I don't think he can breathe, hulaaa."

"That's the entire reason why he fell unconscious the last time, you idiot!" Nook's voice came from the other side of… wherever they were. "Don't take off his blindfold, but pull the gag away from his mouth."

"Okey-doke." Two soft, furry paws yanked the gag from Caitlin's mouth and he gasped, feeling relieved as the air filled his lungs.

"Morning, Caity." Mike was sat right beside Caitlin, and the small boy jumped. Mike laughed. "Okay, so you've been out for around five hours. In that time, you were brought here. This orange fox dude was brought in too- Crazy Redd, but I don't suppose you've ever met him. Your mum was pretty anti-socialisation with you.

"Anyway, I've been looking around. The only entrance is guarded by a burly looking hippo. There's another way out, but you wouldn't like it. It involves climbing up a rope, crawling through the window and jumping down to the ground."

Where are we? Caitlin wanted to ask him, but understood that if he did he would be deemed as crazy as this fox who was apparently tied up nearby. Instead, he phrased his question towards his captors. "Where have you brought me?" His voice came out as a dry rasp.

"Oh, to…"

"CAROLINE!" Nook screeched. "You can't tell him that. The reason we blindfolded him was so that he can't see where we are! He can't know our location; he might tell Alex!"

"I thought we wanted Alex to come here, though?" Caroline questioned innocently. "I mean, that's why you shot that video, right?"

"Alex is coming here?" Caitlin asked, coughing. He heard Mike mocking him beside him, but decided to tune him out.

"No." Nook answered quickly before Caroline had the chance to reveal any more information. "Is Redd awake yet?"

"Not yet, mon capitan!" Caroline said.

"Oh, and by the way, we're in Rhinestone's lighthouse." Mike added. "I'd ask you if you wanted me to go fetch your girlfriend for you, but she wouldn't be able to see me. I'm just a figment of your madness, after all."

"She's not my girlfriend." Caitlin mumbled, in spite of it all.

"What?"

"Nothing!" He yelled. That was close. He sighed, worming around in his bonds. He wished he could do something to escape from this himself, but he was too tightly tied up. His only choice was to wait for Alex to come and help him.


	30. Chapter 30 Peewee

Peewee POV

"Where is this Red Vase?" Was the first thing I asked Alex. The screen had flickered off as if it was suddenly broken, and the group of musicians were still frozen in fear, oblivious to the fact that they were on the verge of being dragged into a deadly situation.

"No idea," she shrugged, tossing her purple hair behind her shoulders and rubbing her triangular nose in frustration. "Come on, I said I'd give you some bells, right?" She smiled weakly at the innocent group who were still completely confused.

"I mean… you don't have to if you don't want to…" Momo babbled, taking in Alex's distressed expression. I don't understand why she cared about Caitlin so much, I assumed all he did was cramp her style. I mean, seriously lil dude, it was worrying me how much she wanted to protect him.

"Seriously. Momo. It's fine." Alex assured her. "How much do you need?"

She muttered something that no-one could hear, tears glistening and her frown lines deepening.

"It's okay." Alex comforted, showing her rarely seen soft side. "How much is it?"

"450,000 bells." she said in a hysterical whisper.

"Okay, I've got that much." mused Alex, surprising me.

"Man lil dude, you're loaded!" I muttered. She elbowed me in response. She marched into the Town Hall with determination, Momo trailing in her wake.

We all decided to wait outside to give them some privacy.

Us and the two bird creatures lowered ourselves onto the stone floor outside.

"So, are you her girlfriend?" The bird in the Straw hat asked idly.

"Churrrp!" The other bird exclaimed in shock. "You can't just ask things like that, churp."

"She's not my girlfriend, lil dude." I told them sullenly.

"Can you see what's happening?" The one bird started to strum on his guitar.

"And they don't have a clue!" His friend exclaimed, raising his eyebrows.

"Guys." I said, interrupting them both. I didn't want to think about it, especially since she could be frolicking off with that Caitlin kid for all I knew.

"They fall in love and here's the bottom line… our trio's down to two!" They continued to sing, ignoring me completely. I decided to get up and join Alex and Momo.

Inside, Alex was yelling at Phyllis at the one side of the counter. Phyllis is yelling back, showing no sign of letting her win. Momo stood to one side, half panicked, half upset.

"Uh, lil dude? Alex?" I asked, half expecting her to ignore me completely. I was surprised to see her turn around, her cheeks flushed with frustration.

"Over 40,000 bells has been stolen from my account." Alex burst out bluntly, stopping me more asking anything. Momo looked incredibly guilty.

"Have you got enough to pay Momo?" I asked, both of us ignoring Phyllis' splutters.

"No." she said quietly, her voice filled with unexpected remorse.

Silently, she turned to face Phyllis and withdrew 400,000 bells. She gave it to Momo, and ran outside.

I dashed outside after her, and followed her into a nearby orchard. It reminded me of Crazy Redd's weird obsession with apples.

When we were out of sight of the others, she turned to face me. Her eyes were bloodshot as if she was surprising tears… I wish the lil dude would just let go sometimes.

"I can't just let him stay there." confided Alex, "I feel so guilty about all this… you saw him!"

I couldn't understand why she felt this way, he was a momma's boy after all.

"But Alex," I started tentatively. "He's just a momma's boy."

"He's not just a momma's boy!" She yelled at me. I stepped backwards, worried she was going to hit me out of sheer frustration. "You're so judgemental!"

"Since when have you not been so heartless?" I retorted, now getting more furious.

"Since… since…" she trailed off, frowning in thought. She started rummaging in her bag. The bag that I gave her, groaning with frustration when she kept pulling out pebbles.

She then proceeded to rummage through her pockets.

"I need something of value to exchange for Caitlin." she told me, not looking up, her eyes flashing with unfading anger. I was completely lost, I still didn't understand why she cared.

"He's my responsibility. I brought him into this mess, so I'm getting him out of it." she continued with determination, looking up when she finally found an item of value.

She pulled out the safe.

Crazy Redd's safe.


	31. Chapter 31 Allie

**This one's slightly different, in that it's from another POV other than Caitlin and Alex.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span><strong>Allie POV<strong>

The sky was just beginning to turn pink as the lifeboat finally came ashore. After a day of rowing on a cold and choppy sea, it would be an understatement to say that I was glad to be on solid ground again. Jitters laughed when I literally threw myself onto the sand and started to make a sand angel.

"I am never going on a boat again!" I yelled out to the few clouds above me.

"Yeah, bzzrt. That experience has kind of put me off sailing again." Jitters agreed, also getting off the boat. "Rowing was a good work-out, though!"

KK Slider also got off, stretching. "Any idea where we are, dudes?"

I got up, and looked around. We were definitely in a town, I could see the houses that dotted the horizon. "I think…"

"We're back in Mhamai." Jitter's finished, pointing to Peanut's house. She lived by the shore, and her house was easily recognisable. She'd planted pink roses outside, plus, there was a sign that said 'Peanut's House'. That was a dead giveaway.

I groaned. "We do all that to get away, only to end up her again?!" I closed my eyes. "All I want is to start over…" Jitters hugged me reassuringly.

"Hey, you did say earlier that you wanted to tell your mum that Caitlin was alright." He comforted. "At least you won't have far to go." I nodded, hugging him back. I really did love him. "KK, I think I have a guitar in my house. Everythings in boxes, so it won't be hard to find. You can borrow it, if you want?"

"Thanks, dude. Now that that ship has blown up, I'm going to have to find a replacement." KK said sadly. "I'll borrow yours for now, and then I'll go find a music shop."

"Allie, you go tell your mum about Caitlin, okay? I'll meet you at the train station in around half an hour. This time, we won't come back, bzzrt." Jitters pecked me on the cheek, then he and KK left for his house. I turned and quickly made my way to our house.

I swallowed before knocking on the door. I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but it sure wasn't going to be pretty.

The door flung open. Mum looked as though she hadn't slept in weeks, her clothes were messy, and her eyes were puffy, as if she'd just been crying. "CAITLIN?" She cried while it was still opening.

"No, Mum. It's just me." I smiled awkwardly, waving slightly.

She looked crestfallen. "Oh." She walked back in the house and collapsed onto the couch. "I thought-"

"I was Caitlin. I know." I finished. "Mum, it's okay. Caitlin isn't in trouble. I saw KK Slider, he was on the boat, and he talked to him, and-"

"My baby's talked to that mongrel?" Mum asked, then moaned. "He's a bad influence…"

"But the point is, Mum, that Caitlin is okay, and he'll come home when he wants to because he hasn't been kidnapped at all. It was all a misunderstanding." I finished, grinning.

Mum looked at me as if I was crazy. I flinched. "He came home. Two days ago, and then… he just disappeared! Left, in the middle of the night!" Mum began to cry. "And I'm sure something terrible is going to happen to him, I miss him so much…"

She hadn't even asked me where I'd been. She hadn't even noticed I was gone. My insides froze. I watched her cry, as she looked at a picture on the dresser, of her and Cait. I had been in that photo too. I'd been cropped out. Why had I even come back?

The door knocked, and I went to get it, since there was no way Mum could've heard it over her own bawling. It was Pete, the mailman.

"Hi, Pete!" I greeted cheerfully.

"Allie!" He nodded. "Where have you been? Everybody's been wondering- Pelly's been worried sick."

"I went on a trip. I'm leaving again soon. Tell everybody I'm okay, okay?"

"Sure thing. You having a good holiday?" I smiled. Pete seemed… genuinely interested in what I was saying.

"I am. It's been very eventful."

"Portia was running around telling everybody you ran away to get eloped." Pete laughed, before starting. "Oh! That's right! I actually have a letter here for Leanne. It's my last delivery of the day!" He rummaged around in his bag, before giving the envelope to me.

It was small, and a pristine white in colour. It was so flawless it seemed as though somebody had ironed it. Mum's name was written on it in black ink, the writing loopy and fancy. I turned it over in my hands, and noticed it was sealed with red wax, with a leaf indented in it. I wondered who would send her such an official letter.

"Thanks, Pete. I'll give it to her right away." I looked up to him and smiled. He grinned back. "Have a nice evening!"

"You too, Allie. And good luck with the rest of your holiday!" He turned and flapped off. I shut the door and returned to the couch, where Mum was still crying. I handed her a tissue.

"Mum, a letters arrived for you." I said, pushing it into her hands.

"Maybe it's from Caitlin!" She replied happily, and I shook my head.

"I don't know, it looks pretty official." I commented.

Mum looked at the wax seal wearily. Did she recognise it? Carefully, she opened the envelope and read the letter that was enclosed. Her eyes widened as she skimmed it, before it dropped out of her hands and she curled over, screaming in horror.

I panicked, and picked the letter up off the floor, reading it for myself.

Leanne,

Due to circumstances far out of my hands, your son has become… regretfully involved with my plans. Against them, it seems. I currently have him here with me, detained in Rhinestone. I can't imagine how worried you are about him. I am a tanuki of my word, however, and our agreement was that I would keep your son out of this. All I require is a mere 20,000 bells from you, and you may come and collect him, and I shall not harm a single hair on his head.

Yours Sincerely,

Tom Horace Nook

I looked up at her, horrified. All this talk about Caity getting kidnapped… and now he was. I had no clue who this Tom Nook person was, but I didn't like the sound of him one bit.

"Mum… Who's Tom Nook?"

"H-he's… He's a tanuki… He's planning something evil, and I found out about it… he threatened to hurt Caitlin, so I… I… I've been sending him money to keep Caitlin safe… and now…" Mum started to cry again, and despite everything I pulled her into a comforting hug.

"Mum, it's okay," I soothed. "I'm not going to say that what you did was moral, because it wasn't, but this isn't your fault. You read the letter, as long as we take the money, he won't hurt Cait. We'll go to Rhinestone together, and get him."

"But… I don't have 20,000 bells!" Mum pulled away and looked at me, wild eyed. "I spent all of my money paying Nook, I only have 5,000 left. What am I going to do?!"

I closed my eyes, knowing I was probably going to regret these words. "I have 23,000 bells saved up in the bank. I'll go talk to Phyllis, and get the money out and call a taxi. You dress warmly, and meet me outside the town hall, we'll go get him now."

Mum looked at me. She smiled and kissed my forehead. "Thank you, Allie."

I swallowed again. "It's okay, Mum." I got up, pulled a coat around my shoulders and rushed to the Town Hall.

There'd be no time to go and tell Jitters what was happening. Caitlin may be Mum's favourite, but he's still my brother. And I wasn't about to let him get hurt.


	32. Chapter 32 Alex

I found a safe tucked away in my pockets, from who knows where.

"That's valuable right?" I asked Peewee, who was still gaping at me. "Peewee?"

"Yeah, lil dude." he murmured, unable to stop staring at it. "That's one of those precious items."

"Precious items? Whose is it?" I persisted, wracking my brains to discover who would give me an item this valuable.

"Nook, Momo, Caitlin, Crazy Redd…" Peewee started reeling off names, counting them on his stubby fingers.

"Crazy Redd…" I repeated. "Crazy Redd!" Thoughts were flooding my brain like a tidal wave, and I'd had enough of water for a long time. I was tempted to rush off and valiantly save Caitlin like the girl two weeks ago would have done, but I couldn't do that anymore.

For the first time in my life, I had to think carefully and plan. I couldn't just dive into this.

I couldn't risk anyone's lives, especially Caitlin's.

"Come on, let's rejoin the others." I beckoned Peewee, turning my back on him and returning to Momo and her band who were clustered by a river.

"You don't have to give me this money." Momo started, the bag still in her hands from when I gave it to her. She sagged a little under the weight of it. "I know it was most of your savings and it's going to take a lot of money to save it back and…"

"It's fine!" I almost yelled, exasperated. Her intentions were good but people who are like that just irritate me. "I don't have anything to save up for." I lied. "I just kept it for a rainy day."

"Oh, the irony." commented Peewee, looking up at the clear sky. Dawn was fast approaching. So was my one chance of saving Caitlin.

I needed to distract the others.

"Why don't you guys fish for something and sell it to get more money?" I suggested. "Here, you can lend this." I pulled my golden fishing rod out of my pockets, one of my most prized possessions. At least if I died saving Caitlin it would be in good hands.

Momo was about to babble again before I shoved it in her hands and gave her a death glare. I could feel Peewee snickering behind me. Her friends pulled out their own fishing rods and peacefully tossed them into the river. Momo joined them, in awe of the valuable item in her hand.

"I'll go and shake some trees for you okay? I know some cheats." I told them, and they nodded as I walked off.

Not to my surprise, Peewee followed me.

"Can I not do anything on my own?" I demanded, starting to get irritated with him too.

"You're going to do something stupid." He replied, watching me ignore him as I shook some trees. Bags of bells landed at my feet and I scooped them up before shoving them in my pockets. I removed the 10,000 emergency bells out of my main balance and stored it for safekeeping in an old letter from my good friend Bob. He left a while ago and I missed him, so his letters were always a source of comfort to me.

_Hey! Alex! _He had written

_What's going on with you and Peewee? If there was something going on you'd tell me, right? Sure you'd tell me, we're buddies! I'm going to bake some muffins now, because the only way to my heart is food. Bring me some cake next time you come over!_

_Your buddy,_

_Bob._

I quickly stowed it away, thinking about how I went to his house armed with his favourite Lemon Drizzle cake to find out he had left. I also remember storming straight over to Peewee's house next door, where we ate the cake together and stole the flowers around his house. I touched the pansies in my hair.

"You've still got Bob's flowers." Peewee noted, admiring the white that stood out against the bright purple of my hair. My roots were starting to peek through, because I hadn't had time to dye it, and I hadn't been home either.

"I haven't taken them out in a while…" I mused, which reminded me how I hadn't brushed my hair or had a change to shower in ages. I'd have to incorporate a swim into my rescue mission.

"You're going to do something stupid." Peewee started again, not letting me forget how reckless I usually am.

"Not if I think it through." I replied with gritted teeth.

"Since when have you thought anything through?" laughed Peewee. "Let me help you. We can do this together."

"No." I said shortly, making him recoil slightly at my bluntness. "He's my responsibility. Not yours, not his mollycoddling mother, not anyone else's. Mine. I got him into this mess, so it's up to me to get him out."

He recovered from my sharp reply, running his hand through his short bristly hair and narrowing his eyes.

"I can't risk anyone's lives." I told him, my voice softening, feeling a little guilty that I'd snapped at him. He'd done nothing but stuck by me, so I couldn't really yell at him.

"You're risking your own." he noted, also softening a little at my changed tone of voice.

"That's different, I'm responsible for myself." I replied.

"I've always looked after you!" Peewee almost yelled. "Ever since you came here, alone, without a bell to your name, I was the one who watched out for you! I watched you become independent, earn your money, your golden items, everything! I can't let you do this."

"I'm older now." I said, almost laughing at myself for how wise and serious I sounded. "I know what I'm letting myself into."

"You're just throwing your life away for that Momma's boy!"

I suddenly got angry. "He's not a Momma's boy anymore. I said coldly. He's my friend, and if you're going to be a complete buttnugget about it then so be it. I'm going regardless of what you say."

I stalked off, not caring if he followed me or not.

"How's it going you guys?" I said chirpily, returning to the others who had moved upriver.

"We're going to catch a coelacanth!" announced Momo, flinging my rod over enthusiastically into the river again.

"They're worth about 15,000 bells." said the bird in the straw hat quietly, smiling to himself at Momo's happiness. How freaking adorable.

"That's great!" I replied, my smile not quite reaching my eyes. I don't think they noticed. Peewee joined them at the river silently fuming, but he quietly pulled out his own golden rod and began to fish.

Since I gave my rod to Momo, I agreed to go and shake some more trees and run deliveries for the animals in this town. Rhinestone was mainly occupied by much older, quieter, more reserved animals. I left them, and instead of turning right towards the trees, I turned left.

Towards the lighthouse.

I decided to quickly scope out the place before I committed to any plans, since I had never been inside, I couldn't even dream of getting him out if I didn't know my way around.

Pulling pranks in Brynland was a completely different experience. Peewee and I both knew the place inside out, so tricking people, hiding and using shortcuts was simpler than finding an apple tree. Unless of course, your town grew cherries. Gross.

There were no guards outside, which worried me. I thought that they could have been at The Roost again like last time but here the Museum was at the other side of town. To my delight, the door was weak and the wood was rotting, so when I attempted to turn the handle it silently split apart. I hoped they didn't fix it in the limited time I would be snooping around. I could pay the consequences later.

I looked up to see nothing but stairs. There were no secret corridors, paths behind paintings, or a light source for that matter. Just stairs.

I fished around in my pocket, found a blonde wig and proceeded up the steps, only a little disguised.

When I got to the top there was a large circular landing, with about 5 doors leading off into separate rooms. One of them contained Caitlin. I dropped to the floor and worked my way around, peering under the cracks. Experience was on my side, and since I was alone not a sound could be heard from me. When I approached the middle door, I found him.

Two guards were asleep either side of him. He was chained to the wall, his hair drooping in front of his face, and his clothes looking a little big for him now due to malnourishment. Silent tears were running down his face. He was probably desperate for his mother. He kept frantically glancing around the room, as if he was waiting for someone.

As if he was waiting for me.

He turned to the door, and I saw they had blindfolded him. They had robbed him of his sight and his mind.

I silently sprinted down the stairs and ran for my life to the other side of town.

_I'll come back for you, Caitlin._


	33. Chapter 33 Allie

**Okay, now I'm SURE I've done it right this time. Comix here, with Allie's chapter! There was a mix-up with the documents, and then there was an error with the uploading of the replacement, but here it is, finally! Sorry for any confusion you might have had! Happy reading! ~Comix**

The taxi ride was agonisingly slow. I couldn't tear my gaze from Mum's worried face. Her eyes seemed a million miles away, deep in a hole with no light getting to them. A hundred scenarios where darting through her mind of what this Nook guy could be doing to Caitlin, right now, as the taxi ambled along the road. I was trying not to think of it, but… God, that was hard to do.

I was trying hard not to think of Jitters, too. Was he at the train station, right now? Waiting for me, even though I was towns away? How long would he wait? An hour? Two? A day, even? How long would this take, I asked myself. How long would I have to keep him waiting? Would he leave without me? I bit my lip. It wasn't fair to put him through all of this. I looked out of the window, the sun was slowly creeping across the morning sky, which was a mix of pink and blue, but not quite purple. There were storm clouds in the distance.

_Caitlin hates thunder._

In front, Kapp'n was rambling on about something or other, but neither of us was listening to him. I don't think he noticed. The bells in my pocket were like a 10 pound dumbbell. Jitter's had once let me try to lift one of his, I remember his smile as I struggled to pull it from the ground. He'd given me a 5 pound instead, 'starting me off easily', and I'd felt really embarrassed…

I was an idiot. I should have told him. It wouldn't have taken me a couple of minutes, and he would have understood… it wasn't fair.

God, it wasn't fair.

I raised my hand up to my eye out of habit, though I wasn't crying yet. I shook my head, and looked out at the approaching town- Rhinestone. Where Caitlin was being held, probably scared off his face, no, _terrified_. Where exactly was he in the town? How were we going to find him? Nook hadn't been exactly specific in his note. What if we never did?

Some of my questions were answered when we pulled up outside the train station, near the shopping district. I briefly pondered why Kapp'n hadn't dropped us off at the Town Hall, but realised I didn't have time to question insignificant details like that. I pushed the door open with such force I thought it might fly off its hinges. I slammed it shut behind me. Mum fumbled with her door handle. Dutifully, I helped her out of the car, and when the taxi drove off, we realised we weren't alone. A squirrel who looked a lot like Sally was stood on the other side of the pavement.

"Are you the Momma's Boys' parents, hulaaaa?" She asked, her voice high in pitch and slightly annoying. If the situation had been different, I could have sniggered. Even here, Caitlin couldn't escape his mothers shadow. _Our _mothers shadow…

"Where is my son?" Mum asked in a rush, her voice wobbly. I gave her my hand, and she clutched onto it like a lifebuoy.

"Have you got the money?"

"Yes." I answered, my voice stronger than my emotions. I reached into my pocket, to check it was still there, though it was hard to ignore its presence. The squirrel grinned at us, and began to walk quickly through the village. We hurried to keep up with her, barely paying attention to our surroundings. I did notice how abandoned it felt, though. Like every villager, bug and fish had just… disappeared.

After an age of walking (though in reality it must have been only a minute) we came to be in front of a tall, imposing lighthouse- a dim, grey giant of a lighthouse, with glass windows as hair. I supposed the view from the top would be breath-taking… but we weren't here to sightsee. The squirrel disappeared into the lighthouse, and slowly, apprehensively, we followed.

It was a very big room, stairs circling the outside of it up to the top floor, where one could switch on the light. A large metal contraption was in the centre of the room, but I wasn't really paying attention to any of that. Caitlin was sat, up against a wall, blindfolded, and a piece of cloth hanging around his neck- I assumed it was once a gag. His body was rigid, with fright, probably, and he looked as though he was sweating.

Mum made a sound like a choking noise, and tried to move to him, but was blocked by a couple of Nook's henchmen. He stood near the metal thing, rubbing his paws together and smirking smugly.

"First," he practically purred, "do you have the money?"

"Yes, now let me see my-" Mum sounded desperate. Caitlin's head turned towards us, his mouth moving but voice too small to be heard.

"All 50,000 bells of it?"

"50 thousand?" My eyes widened. "You said 20."

Nook looked at me briefly. "You must be the other one… Did I write 20,000? I'm so sorry," He didn't sound sorry at all. "I meant to write 50,000. Slip of the paw, hm?" He slowly strutted around the room. "If you've only brought 20, I suppose you could go up and get some more out of the bank. I'll even give you until midday."

Outside, it began to rain. "No… You don't understand… We don't have 50,000 bells, in the bank or otherwise…" I said, trailing off. "Please…"

"Well, if you can't pay, the deal will have to be taken off the table…" His eyes glinted evilly.

"NO!" Mum shrieked, sounding as though the world was about to end. "No, please… I can think of something else to give you, something else in return…"

Nook raised his eyebrows. "Why don't we… continue this discussion upstairs?" He started moving towards the upper level, and Mum wasted no time in letting go of my hand to follow him.

As soon as the two had disappeared from the ground floor, I ran to Caitlin, kneeling down and hugging him tightly. "It's going to be okay, Caitlin. I promise. It's almost over."

"Allie?" His voice was small and hoarse, as if he hadn't drunk anything in hours. He coughed. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"We came to get you." I whispered, stroking his hair. "Nook sent us a ransom note, but there was a mix up… don't worry, though, Mum'll sort it out, just you wait. Are you feeling all right? They haven't hurt you, have they?"

"I haven't eaten or drank since some time yesterday." My brother admitted, and his stomach growled in confirmation. "And I have a bump on my head, but… I'm fine." He paused. "Allie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I'm Mum's favourite. It must be hard for you- she ignores you, doesn't she? Because she's too busy looking after me… I'm sorry."

I bit my lip. "It's fine, Caity. I don't mind it."

"But it's not fine! She never pays any attention to you, and it's stupid! She shouldn't pick favourites, and it's not like I help matters… I'm so pathetic…"

"It's not your fault." I said. And I meant it. "Don't worry. Mum'll come down these stairs now, and she and Nook will have sorted things out, and we'll all go home together and be one, big, happy family again."

"That's a lie."

"Yeah… But we can try, right? Send Mum of to a correction camp?" I joked.

"Force her to listen to KK Slider." He replied, the trace of a smile on his lips. I laughed.

"Have you even listened to KK Slider?"

"No, but I've met him." Caity replied. "When we get home… will you sneak me out to one of his concerts with you?"

"… Of course."

Just then, Mum came back downstairs. Nook followed behind her. He nodded to the annoying orange squirrel, who cut the ropes around Caitlin's hands and ankles. He rubbed his wrists, and I helped him to stand up. He gave me a quick hug, pulling his blindfold off his head. He hadn't been crying, like I thought he'd been.

"Did you sort it out? Can we go now?" I asked Mum. She didn't look at me, taking Caitlin's hand and pulling him away.

"We're leaving." She said, her voice hard. It was a big difference. I began to follow, but something furry grabbed my hand.

Nook.

"Wha- let me go!"

Mum didn't turn around. Caitlin did. And the face he made was heartbreaking.

"Your mother and I had a deal. Him, for you."

"What…? Mum? MUM!" My voice broke.

"Come along, honey. We're leaving." Mum tugged on Caitlin's arm roughly.

"No… Allie! ALLIE!" He wasn't crying earlier, but he was crying now. My hands were being forced behind my back and were being tied together tightly. I tried to struggle, but it was no use. There was nothing I could do.

"MUM, HOW COULD YOU?!" I screamed. How could she _do this_?

Mum gave another sharp pull on Caitlin's arm, and he stumbled. I shook my head.

We'd always known Mum had loved him most.

p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"strongHi guys! It's Meg here~. Sorry if you were confused about the chapter- we had a mix up with the documents! But here's the correct chapter for y'all! ~Comix/strong/p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"span style="text-decoration: underline;"Chapter 33- Alliespan/p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"The taxi ride was agonisingly slow. I couldn't tear my gaze from Mum's worried face. Her eyes seemed a million miles away, deep in a hole with no light getting to them. A hundred scenarios where darting through her mind of what this Nook guy could be doing to Caitlin, right now, as the taxi ambled along the road. I was trying not to think of it, but… God, that was hard to do.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I was trying hard not to think of Jitters, too. Was he at the train station, right now? Waiting for me, even though I was towns away? How long would he wait? An hour? Two? A day, even? How long would this take, I asked myself. How long would I have to keep him waiting? Would he leave without me? I bit my lip. It wasn't fair to put him through all of this. I looked out of the window, the sun was slowly creeping across the morning sky, which was a mix of pink and blue, but not quite purple. There were storm clouds in the distance.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"emCaitlin hates thunder.em/p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"In front, Kapp'n was rambling on about something or other, but neither of us was listening to him. I don't think he noticed. The bells in my pocket were like a 10 pound dumbbell. Jitter's had once let me try to lift one of his, I remember his smile as I struggled to pull it from the ground. He'd given me a 5 pound instead, 'starting me off easily', and I'd felt really embarrassed…p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I was an idiot. I should have told him. It wouldn't have taken me a couple of minutes, and he would have understood… it wasn't fair.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"emGod, it wasn't fair.em/p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I raised my hand up to my eye out of habit, though I wasn't crying yet. I shook my head, and looked out at the approaching town- Rhinestone. Where Caitlin was being held, probably scared off his face, no, terrified. Where exactly was he in the town? How were we going to find him? Nook hadn't been exactly specific in his note. What if we never did?p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Some of my questions were answered when we pulled up outside the train station, near the shopping district. I briefly pondered why Kapp'n hadn't dropped us off at the Town Hall, but realised I didn't have time to question insignificant details like that. I pushed the door open with such force I thought it might fly off its hinges. I slammed it shut behind me. Mum fumbled with her door handle. Dutifully, I helped her out of the car, and when the taxi drove off, we realised we weren't alone. A squirrel who looked a lot like Sally was stood on the other side of the pavement.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Are you the Momma's Boys' parents, hulaaaa?" She asked, her voice high in pitch and slightly annoying. If the situation had been different, I could have sniggered. Even here, Caitlin couldn't escape his mothers shadow. Our mothers shadow…p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Where is my son?" Mum asked in a rush, her voice wobbly. I gave her my hand, and she clutched onto it like a lifebuoy.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Have you got the money?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Yes." I answered, my voice stronger than my emotions. I reached into my pocket, to check it was still there, though it was hard to ignore its presence. The squirrel grinned at us, and began to walk quickly through the village. We hurried to keep up with her, barely paying attention to our surroundings. I did notice how abandoned it felt, though. Like every villager, bug and fish had just… disappeared.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"After an age of walking (though in reality it must have been only a minute) we came to be in front of a tall, imposing lighthouse- a dim, grey giant of a lighthouse, with glass windows as hair. I supposed the view from the top would be breath-taking… but we weren't here to sightsee. The squirrel disappeared into the lighthouse, and slowly, apprehensively, we followed.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"It was a very big room, stairs circling the outside of it up to the top floor, where one could switch on the light. A large metal contraption was in the centre of the room, but I wasn't really paying attention to any of that. Caitlin was sat, up against a wall, blindfolded, and a piece of cloth hanging around his neck- I assumed it was once a gag. His body was rigid, with fright, probably, and he looked as though he was sweating.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Mum made a sound like a choking noise, and tried to move to him, but was blocked by a couple of Nook's henchmen. He stood near the metal thing, rubbing his paws together and smirking smugly.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""First," he practically purred, "do you have the money?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Yes, now let me see my-" Mum sounded desperate. Caitlin's head turned towards us, his mouth moving but voice too small to be heard.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""All 50,000 bells of it?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""50 thousand?" My eyes widened. "You said 20."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Nook looked at me briefly. "You must be the other one… Did I write 20,000? I'm so sorry," He didn't sound sorry at all. "I meant to write 50,000. Slip of the paw, hm?" He slowly strutted around the room. "If you've only brought 20, I suppose you could go up and get some more out of the bank. I'll even give you until midday."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Outside, it began to rain. "No… You don't understand… We don't have 50,000 bells, in the bank or otherwise…" I said, trailing off. "Please…"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Well, if you can't pay, the deal will have to be taken off the table…" His eyes glinted evilly.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""NO!" Mum shrieked, sounding as though the world was about to end. "No, please… I can think of something else to give you, something else in return…"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Nook raised his eyebrows. "Why don't we… continue this discussion upstairs?" He started moving towards the upper level, and Mum wasted no time in letting go of my hand to follow him.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"As soon as the two had disappeared from the ground floor, I ran to Caitlin, kneeling down and hugging him tightly. "It's going to be okay, Caitlin. I promise. It's almost over."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Allie?" His voice was small and hoarse, as if he hadn't drunk anything in hours. He coughed. "Wh-what are you doing here?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""We came to get you." I whispered, stroking his hair. "Nook sent us a ransom note, but there was a mix up… don't worry, though, Mum'll sort it out, just you wait. Are you feeling all right? They haven't hurt you, have they?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""I haven't eaten or drank since some time yesterday." My brother admitted, and his stomach growled in confirmation. "And I have a bump on my head, but… I'm fine." He paused. "Allie?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Yeah?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""I'm sorry I'm Mum's favourite. It must be hard for you- she ignores you, doesn't she? Because she's too busy looking after me… I'm sorry."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"I bit my lip. "It's fine, Caity. I don't mind it."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""But it's not fine! She never pays any attention to you, and it's stupid! She shouldn't pick favourites, and it's not like I help matters… I'm so pathetic…"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""It's not your fault." I said. And I meant it. "Don't worry. Mum'll come down these stairs now, and she and Nook will have sorted things out, and we'll all go home together and be one, big, happy family again."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""That's a lie."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Yeah… But we can try, right? Send Mum of to a correction camp?" I joked.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Force her to listen to KK Slider." He replied, the trace of a smile on his lips. I laughed.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Have you even listened to KK Slider?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""No, but I've met him." Caity replied. "When we get home… will you sneak me out to one of his concerts with you?"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""… Of course."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Just then, Mum came back downstairs. Nook followed behind her. He nodded to the annoying orange squirrel, who cut the ropes around Caitlin's hands and ankles. He rubbed his wrists, and I helped him to stand up. He gave me a quick hug, pulling his blindfold off his head. He hadn't been crying, like I thought he'd been.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Did you sort it out? Can we go now?" I asked Mum. She didn't look at me, taking Caitlin's hand and pulling him away.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""We're leaving." She said, her voice hard. It was a big difference. I began to follow, but something furry grabbed my hand.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Nook.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Wha- let me go!"p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Mum didn't turn around. Caitlin did. And the face he made was heartbreaking.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Your mother and I had a deal. Him, for you."p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""What…? Mum? MUM!" My voice broke.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""Come along, honey. We're leaving." Mum tugged on Caitlin's arm roughly.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""No… Allie! ALLIE!" He wasn't crying earlier, but he was crying now. My hands were being forced behind my back and were being tied together tightly. I tried to struggle, but it was no use. There was nothing I could do.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;""MUM, HOW COULD YOU?!" I screamed. How could she do this?p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"Mum gave another sharp pull on Caitlin's arm, and he stumbled. I shook my head.p  
>p style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"We'd always known Mum had loved him most.p


	34. Chapter 34 Caitlin

Caitlin's POV

Outside it was raining. The sky was angry and stormy; maybe it will thunder later…

I don't like thunder.

My feet snapped forward, one after the other, left right left right left right as if I wasn't in control of them at all. It felt just like when I'd been trapped under the control of that Mind Potion thing. Except I'd felt happy and delirious then. Here I feel… horrified. There are a million bugs crawling around in my stomach, eating me from the inside out. And my head hurts. My head hadn't hurt under the Potion.

Then, I hadn't been able to remember anything. Here, I remember every heart-wrenching, gut-munching detail. The look of betrayal and horror on her face. Her voice breaking. The tears in her eyes. Her scream.

Then, I had been under the control of Nook, that evil poopface who was trying to take over the world. It was easy to hate him, easy to be angry at him for being so mean to everybody! Here, the one controlling me was my Mum. It was hard to be angry at my own Mum.

What am I saying? It's extremely easy to be angry at my own Mum! Especially when she's just traded me for my sister. My sister! I understand that she was worried about me, tied up and a part of a power-crazy nut-jobs schemes, and don't get me wrong I was terrified… I still am terrified…

But to leave her own flesh and blood to the same torment just to save me? She hasn't even looked back! She hasn't acted like anything was wrong at all!

"Mum," my voice came out like a croak, because I still hadn't had a drink of water. "Mum, where are we going?"

She looked at me briefly. Her eyes still held the same cheery, mother-like sparkle in them. They hadn't changed since I'd left home the first, or the second time. "Home, silly billy." Her voice was full of laughter, as if she couldn't believe I'd asked such a silly question that I should have known. "We're going home, and then we're going to pretend none of this ever happened."

"None of this… Aren't we going back?" I asked, frowning. "Aren't we going to get Allie?"

Mum acted as if she hadn't heard the question, smiling at me.

"Your daughter? Who you just abandoned to possibly the most evil person in the Animal Crossing Kingdom?!" My voice was going higher in pitch, and I could feel my hand tightening up into a pathetic little fist, God, I was going to cry in a second... "Allie? My sister?! You left her there!" I stopped walking.

"Caitlin, come on. We don't have time for this." Mum was calm and her voice was smooth, like melted butter. I pulled my hand out of her grasp.

"You're just going to leave her there? Not look back at all? Just leave her with Nook?!" I was tearing up now, I blinked away the tears. "How can you? How CAN you?!"

"Caitlin, can't we just go home? It's been a long day for you, honey…"

"Don't 'honey' me!" I practically shrieked. "Don't treat me like some eight-year old! I'm fifteen! I'm old enough for you not to be so… over-protective of me anymore!"

"Caitlin, your favourite book is 'The Magical Unicorns go to Candy Island." Mum said. "You ask me to tuck you in every night so the monsters don't bite off your toes."

"I haven't asked you to do that since I was ten! And okay, so I still enjoy listening to Twinkle Fluff's adventures, but I can take care of myself, Mum! But this isn't about me, this is about Allie!"

"Caitlin…"

"No! No. We have to go back for her!" My eyesight was growing blurry. "She's all alone in there! She's always alone, because you ALWAYS choose ME over her! It's getting old Mum, and it ISN'T HEALTHY!"

"Caitlin!" Mum admonished. She looked hurt. I would have felt bad, if I hadn't been so frustrated with her.

"You're treating me like a baby who can't take care of myself and it isn't just harming ME, and my ability to be responisbile for myself, but it's also hurting Allie's feeling and self-confidence, and it's affecting the way EVERYBODY sees me and her- she's pitied, and I'm hated! Do you know what they call me?"

"Caitlin…"

"NO! Do you KNOW what they call me?! Momma's Boy! It's IMPOSSIBLE for me to step out of your shadow! And it's impossible for Allie to step out of MINE. And it's stopping us from growing! And it's YOUR FAULT! Don't you realise how crazy you're acting? You're controlling, and domineering, and it's SCARING ME, MUM! YOU'RE scaring me! You threw away Allie's life, her FREEDOM as if it was NOTHING!" Thunder clapped overhead, but I didn't even flinch. "You need to BACK OFF of me, and start caring more for your OTHER CHILD!"

"Caitlin, you are being ridiculous." Mum's voice was like iron. "Now, stop with this pointless yelling so we can get inside somewhere where you won't catch a cold."

"STOP IT! I GET that you're my Mum, and Mum's are meant to be worried about their children, but you can't just coddle me and leave Allie out of it! This is getting out of hand! We get why you're so hung up on me, but that doesn't make it okay!"

The rain was hard and cold against my skin, but I felt as though I had a fever. "DAD IS DEAD, MUM! AND IT'S TIME YOU GOT OVER HIM!"

Mum looked heart-broken, but not as half heart-broken as Allie had been when Mum had abandoned her.

"If you're not going to help me save Allie, then I'll go on my own." I said, lowering my voice and trying to cool myself off. "One of us has to be the grown-up here." Without waiting to hear her response, I turned and walked off.

Well, walked off quickly. Jogged off. Ran off. Ran as though I was running from the world itself.


	35. Chapter 35- Caitlin

**Hi guys~! Comix here! I bet you're all tired of my writing by now, this is like my third in a row. But don't worry, Bryn is going to write the next one! Here you go, the aftermath or Caitlin and Leanne's big fight.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 35- Caitlin<span>

I didn't notice just how bad the storm was until Mike mentioned it to me. I'd ran and ran and ran until I got to the edge of an orchard, where I sat, head in my hands, back against bark.

"Hey, dude?" Mike whispered softly. "It's probably not the best idea to sit under a tree during a thunderstorm."

I nodded, drawing myself into a ball. My clothes were really, really wet, clinging to my skin. My teeth chattered, and my hair clung to my forehead. "Was I too hard on her, Mike?"

"Dude, she needed to know…"

"That's not what I asked." I cut in, my voice sounding like a high-pitched Batman. "Was I too hard on her?"

"I…" Mike rubbed the back of his neck. "No. You're too old for her to be walking all over you."

"Mike, I'm fifteen." I reminded him.

"Yeah, that's old enough to watch Insidious." Mike grinned. Then he frowned. "It's her fault, anyway. She kept on… pressing you down."

"But she's my mum!"

"Momma birds teach their fledglings to fly, not hop around in the nest."

"Go away, and take your proverbs with you." I grumbled, closing my eyes as lightning flashed a little ways away, and the thunder followed soon after.

When I opened my eyes again, Mike was gone.

"Mike?" I blinked. "Mike, where did you go? This isn't funny…" I staggered to my feet, looking around. "Mike? Come back…" I looked around again, but I was the only person out here. "I didn't mean what I said, I was just… just…"

"Sulking and feeling bitter about yourself?" I spun around. Mike pinched me on the nose. "You sour grape Snape."

"MIKE!" Despite how annoyed I was at him, I hugged him. "Don't ever do that again I thought you really had gone and where would that leave me I don't know what to do now you still have to guide me and make me more self-confident!"

"Hey, little man, you just stood up to your mother, for the first time in your entire life." Mike squeezed me back. "I'd say you are more self-confident. And you do know what to do next."

"I… I have to go rescue Allie." I thought out loud. "I have to go back to the lighthouse and face Nook and get my sister back."

"There you go! Let's get going." Mike laughed. I nodded, and we began to make our way back towards the lighthouse. The closer we got, the harsher the storm seem to become.

"Mike? I'm scared."

"Nobody said a cool person couldn't be scared. Cool people just don't let that stop them."

The place seemed empty when we got inside. I was dripping water all over the stone floor, but that wasn't my problem. The floor was dirty, it needed a wash anyway. The entrance room was the main chamber, and straight above us was the light part of the lighthouse. Now, running down from the ceiling, was a large metal rod. Nook must've been setting things up for his evil plan while I was gone.

Below the metal rod was a large metal plate, a bit like a dish. Connected to it were many small wires, which went around the room to other metal plates, a bit smaller than the central one. After some observation, I decided they'd been placed in the shape of a star. On top of the star of plates, were random items, however two were barren. I wondered why briefly, then continued looking around for my sister.

She was sat where I had been only an hour ago. She was bound, and blindfolded, as I had been. There was nobody around, it would be easy to just sneak over and-

"What are you doing here?"

It would be an understatement to say that I jumped. I spun around, looking for the origin of the voice. Mike was bent over, laughing his head off.

"Oh my God, your _face_, that was amazing!" He giggled. "Sorry, I just had to do that. That was priceless!"

"MIKE!" I groaned in frustration. Of all the moments for him to do something like this- he was lucky nobody could hear him.

"Caitlin?" My eyes widened. People might not be able to hear a figment of my imagination, but they could still hear me.

Aw num nuts. There was the sound of approaching footsteps, and Caroline appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What's going on up there, Caroline?" Nook yelled from downstairs.

"Caroline, I will give you a… a…" I felt around in my pockets as I hissed at her. "A beach chair! A beach chair, if you don't tell Nook I'm up here."

"A beach chair, hullaaaa?" Caroline looked ecstatic. "I've been looking for one of those for ages!" She took it off me gleefully.

"Caroline?" Nook sounded closer now.

"Nothing! Just the Momma's Boy's sister mumbling to herself, hulaaaaa." Caroline called back. She turned to leave, before looking back at me. "I don't see what the point of that deal was. He's just going to see you when you come down to get out of here." And with that, she left.

"Man, she's smarter than we gave her credit. But… crap, what are we going to do?" Mike looked around.

"'What are we going to do' this is all your fault!" I hissed at him as quietly as I could.

"Caitlin?" Allie's voice was small but hopeful. "Are you there?"

"Shh." I whispered. "Nook might come up next time."

"Who are you talking to? Is it Mum?"

"… No. Just me, I'm afraid. Me and… my imaginary friend." I added, ignoring Mike's protests. I walked over and untied the knots of her blindfold and her blinds. She blinked for a few minutes, adjusting her eyes to the light. "Now, we need to think of a way to sneak past Nook and out of the door downstairs."

She nodded. Allie was good at sneaking out, she'd know what to do.

"It's too high to climb out of the window." She said, walking stiffly over and looking out of one of the windows. "So, I guess the only way out is through the front door…"

"But how can we do that, Nook is…"

"Caity," she held up her hand. "Let me think." She looked around the room. There were multiple doors, and a couple of storage boxes that were covered in dust. They looked rather small. "I've got it!"

"Caitlin, I want you to go hide in that room there." Allie pointed to the door nearest the stairs. "Don't let them see you opening it. I'm going to open that door," she pointed to another two, "and this one. I'm going to throw one of the boxes into that room, close the door slightly, then hide in this room, okay?"

"Oh, I get it!" Mike piped up. "Nook and his goons'll come charging up here, and they'll go into the room to investigate. Then, we all run down the stairs and escape. That's brilliant, Allie!"

"She can't hear you, idiot." I rolled my eyes, and Allie looked confused. "Just talking to my friend again."

"Caitlin, you're fifteen and you still have imaginary friends?" Allie grinned. "That's adorable."

"Shut up!" My voice came out like a squeak, and I blushed. Allie only grinned wider. "Okay, let's just do it then."

I snuck over to the door, and pulled it open a fraction. I froze, certain that Nook had heard the doors hinges creaking, but when nothing happened I squeezed into the door and shut it with as little noise as I could. I didn't look around the room, instead peering through the crack in the door to watch what was going on.

"Uh, hey, dude? … In all seriousness, I was thinking…"

"Not now, Mike." I hissed, eyes watching as Allie picked up one of the boxes high above her head.

"Uh, I do kind of need to tell you this now."

"Can't it wait?"

"No."

"It has to. I don't have time right now." I replied quickly, and just as I said time, a loud crash reverberated through the building. Allie was out of sight as Nook and some other animals came pounding up the stairs. My heart was beating in my chest. They saw the ropes and the rag abandoned on the floor. They saw the door, slightly ajar. They all grinned at each other evilly. They went in.

Allie and I slipped out of our hiding spots at the same time. We tiptoed to the stairs, but as soon as we hit the third step it was a free-for-all to the door.

"It was a trick!" Nook howled from behind us, and my fear spurred me on. Outside the rain looked torrential, the front of the lighthouse really should have a door…

We were almost there. We could have made it.

But then my foot caught a wire, and I fell, almost comically to a clatter. And that was all it took. They were upon us in seconds, like a school of piranhas. I was yanked up to my feet harshly. Knives were pushed against our throats, and I looked directly into the terrible tanuki eyes of Tom Nook.

"Momma's boy." He growled. "You've been a thorn in my side for far too long. Give me one reason why I shouldn't just kill you both here now."

"B-because Alex… you need m-me to g-get her to come!" I stammered out, not liking the quiver in my voice.

"Alex knows you're here, she'll come anyway." Nook laughed. "What does it matter to me if she finds a dead body instead of an alive one?"

"You bastard!" Allie growled from beside me. "Just let us go!"

Nook glared at her, and a felt a wave of fear grip me, like a wall of steel.

"I-I… I can trade you something! O-our freedom for… for…"

"I seriously doubt you have anything I want, boy." Nook snarled, still looking as though he wanted to rip Allie's head off.

I looked around the room. There had to be something he wanted, right? There were empty plates on his contraption thingy… he had to be still looking for something! I looked at each of the items in turn; there had to be a link between them I could use!

KK Slider's guitar… a worn-out looking turban with an amber on the front… a leathery brown chair…

They were totally random! What kind of link would they have?! It was hopeless, I felt like I was going to cry…

Out of nowhere, Pascals voice drifted into my head. "Precious items are precious for a reason, whether it's a music box, a turban or even a guitar. Hey, hook a dude up with a scallop, would you?"

Next, I recalled that dream I'd had while I had been unconscious only a few days ago. Pascal had kept saying precious things in there, too…

And when Nook had put me under mind control! He'd wanted me to find Redd's 'precious things'.

If only he'd been more specific! I bet anything could be precious to this 'Redd', even their tent!

But… hadn't Kapp'n mentioned somebody called Crazy Redd? That Saharah had given his wife a Red Vase, and was told to give it to them…? There was a turban right in front of me, and Redd seemed to have wanted the vase…

Could the Red Vase, I had in my pocket, be… a precious item, like Nook wanted?

"Well? I'm waiting." Nook sounded smug. "What could you possibly have that's of use to me?"

"A… A p-precious item!" I squeaked out. "J-just like the ones your looking for."

Nook's eyes glared, and he gestured for the knives to be lowered from our throats. I rubbed my neck. "How do you know about that? If you're lying to me, boy…"

"I'm not lying! I-I swear! It's a long story, but I don't… want to tell you?" The words came out as a question, and Nook glared at me, unimpressed. "Anyway, it d-doesn't matter how I g-g-got it, what matters is that I have it." I furrowed in my pockets until I pulled out the large, but light, vase I'd been hauling along with me all this time. "I'm surprised it hasn't b-broken, with how rough you've been treating me over the past couple of d-days."

Nook's eyes were like saucepans. "The Red Vase… But how? Give it to me!" He lunged toward me, but I sidestepped him.

"Promise to let us go first!" I said. He waved his hand. "Say it! Say you'll let us leave, and that you won't try and have us kidnapped again! Or I'll drop it." I held the Red Vase high above my head.

"NO! You wouldn't." Nook ground out. "It's so valuable."

"It has no worth to me." I half-lief. "I'll break it, I will! So promise."

"F… Fine! I'll let you go, and I won't send anybody after you."

"Show me your hands so I know you aren't crossing your fingers!" I said.

"I don't have fingers, you idiot... Or hands!"

"Do it!" I held the vase up a little higher, and Nook held his paws in front of him reluctantly.

"Okay, now pinkie promise with my sister." I said.

"What? No, that is the last straw. That is completely idiotic, and…"

"Just do as he asks, would you?" Allie said, rolling her eyes. "Pinkie promises are like the law with him."

Nook grumbled, but reluctantly held out a claw. Allie clutched it with her own pinkie. "I pinkie promise to let you and Momma's Boy leave, and will not send anybody to follow you." He turned and glared at me. "Happy now?"

"Yes." I nodded, and slowly set the vase down. I moved away from it and grabbed Allie's hand as Nook lunged for it. I wasn't sure if he would keep the pinkie promise, as twisted as he was, and I wasn't going to stick around to find out.

We scampered through the town like dormice. We'd escaped. Finally, it was over.


End file.
